McDonnell boost for Home Internationals as he beats Rafferty in play-off for Dundalk Scratch Cup

Photo is of Jack McDonnell (centre) and Trevor Giff, Dundalk Golf Club Captain (left) and Martin McDonnell, Managing Director, One Finance (right).

Jack McDonnell won the One Finance sponsored Dundalk Scratch Cup for the first time when he beat local favourite Caolan Rafferty on the first play-off hole after both had finished the 36 hole tournament on seven-under-par.

The 26-year-old from Forest Little, who will make his Home Internationals debut later this week, fired a superb pitch into six feet to set up his birdie winning putt and deny Rafferty what would have been his fourth Dundalk Scratch Cup in six years.

“I am delighted with that,” said McDonnell afterwards. “In the play-off, it was like 60 Dundalk lads against me, but I didn’t mind. I was delighted when I walked down there (after the drives) and I was behind him so I knew I could put the pressure on with the wedge shot and I put that in close. I played very comfortably and I think getting the call for the Home Internationals lifted my spirits and gave me a confidence boost.”

Robert Moran from Castle, who will join McDonnell, Rafferty and Marc Boucher of Carton House, on the Ireland team heading to England for the Home Internationals, finished two shots behind on five under alongside another local, Eoin Murphy, with Dundalk stalwart Aaron Grant completing the top five after coming home in four-under.

McDonnell, playing alongside defending champion Jake Whelan (Grange), and starting off the 10th had six birdies over his opening nine holes with the only blemish being a bogey at the par-three 17th, his eighth hole. He did get back to six under with a birdie at the par-five sixth but handed it back at the ninth, his last, when he bogeyed the par-three.

His halfway total of 67, five under par, was enough to give him a two-shot lead over Rafferty and Co Louth’s Ciaran Treacy both of whom double-bogeyed the par-three 17th after starting the hole on five under. 

Rafferty, who started off the first, opened with two birdies and had two more back-to-back birdies at the two par fives on the front nine to turn in four-under which became five-under after a birdie on the par-five 10th. He dropped a shot at 15 but got it back at 16 before his double bogey at 17 left him on 69.

After lunch, McDonnell began well with a birdie on his opening hole, the 10th, to go to six under and two holes later he moved to seven-under with another birdie. But three successive bogeys from the 15th meant he turned in 37 and, at four under, was no longer leading.

Rafferty had gone on a charge and after picking up two shots over the front nine, an eagle on the 10th, after finding the rough off his drive, moved him to seven under and he extended that eight-under with a birdie at the short par four 14th after a brilliant approach shot. 

Murphy and Moran were also on a charge with Murphy birdieing the 14th to move to six under but he handed it back at the next following a wayward drive.

With six holes to go, McDonnell was in danger of being left adrift but he birdied the long par four fourth to get back to five under and then birdied the par-five sixth and the par-four eighth to make it to seven-under.

The 17th, which had proved so calamitous for Rafferty in the first round, caught him out again and he dropped a shot around the same time as McDonnell was holing his short birdie putt on eight.  

With both finishing on seven under it took a play-off to decide the outcome and McDonnell showed nerves of steel as he silenced the large home crowd with a brilliant birdie at the first tie hole.

Dundalk Senior Scratch sponsored by One Finance, Dundalk GC (Par 72)

Prize winners

1st: Jack McDonnell (Forest Little) (+3.3) 137 (67/70) (Won on first play-off hole).

2nd: Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) (+3.4) 137 (69/68) 

3rd: Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) (+2.0) 139 (71/68)

4th: Robert Moran (The Castle) (+4.8) 139 (71/68)
Best Nett: Joseph Laverty (Dundalk) (1.9) 146 (74/72) Back 9.

First 18 Gross: Ciaran Tracey (Co Louth) (+1.0 ) 69.

First 18 Nett: Conor Murphy (Dundalk) (2.2) 69.

Second 18 Gross: Matthew Giles (Greenore) (-3.3) 68.

Second 18 Nett: Liam McGavisk (Greenore) (0.9) 70.

Final scores

137 Jack McDonnell (Forest Little) 67 76; Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 69 68. McDonnell won first play-off hole;

139 Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) 71 68; Robert Moran (The Castle) 71 68;

140 Aaron Grant (Dundalk) 70 70;

141 Simon Ward (Belvoir Park) 72 69;

144 Matthew Giles (Greenore) 76 68; Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint) 71 73;

145 Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) 72 73;

146 Liam Abom (Edmondstown) 74 72;

146 Colm Campbell Jnr (Warrenpoint) 73 73;

147 Jason Murphy (Dundalk) 76 71; Mark Boucher (Carton House); Graham Callaghan (Co Louth) 72 75; David Marshall Jnr (Naas), 70 77;

148 Ciaran Johnston (Dundalk) 77 71; Aaron Ryan (Thurles) 77 71; Charlie McDonnell (Concra Wood) 76 72; David Shiel (Powerscourt) 71 77, Ciaran Tracey (Co Louth) 69 79;

149 Adam Smith (Mullingar) 74 75;

150 Joseph Laverty (Dundalk) 76 74;

151 David Winters (Seapoint) 77 74; Brandon St John (Portmarnock) 76 75; Annraoi Collins (Laytown & Bettystown) 76 75; Dean Rogers (Forest Little) 75 76; Jake Whelan (The Grange) 74 77; Charlie Connell (Newlands) 73 78;

152 Liam McGavisk (Rush) 81 71; Andrew Doyle (Woodbrook) 79 73; Simon McConnell (Ballyclare) 71 75; Daniel Coyle (Portmarnock) 76 76; Tristan Lee Harper (Ardee) 74 78;

153 Mark Justice (Ardee) 76 77; Evan Farrell (Ardee) 74 79;

154 Luke O'Dwyer (Forrest Little) 78, 76; Shane Hession (Dundalk) 77 77; Peter Rogers (Dundalk) 77 77; Samuel Gammell (Naas) 75 79;

155 Gary Wade (Seapoint) 78 77; Michael Greene (Greenore) 77 78; Ruairi O'Connor (Sligo) 75 80; Dylan Harbourne (Newlands) 74 81;

156 Neal MacKell (Dundalk) 82 74; Aidan Quigley (Woodbrook) 80 76; Aidan Dooley (Carton House) 80 76; Conall Murdock (Dundalk) 79 77; Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 78 78;

157 Mikey Mina Ronayne (Mullingar) 81 76; Conor Murphy (Dundalk) 72 85;

158 Zak Alderdice (Dundalk) 82 76; Daniel McKenna (Laytown & Bettystown) 78 80; David Pilkington (Cloverhill) 77 81; Ben Caffrey (Ardee) 77 81; Jamie Kelly (Ardee) 75 83;

159 David Tynan (Mullingar) 81 78;

160 Colin Roche (Dundalk) 82 78;

161 Josh Mackin (Dundalk) 78 83;

163 Austin McCann (Co Louth) 82 81;

165 Conall Mullins Shortt (Dundalk) 89 76;

166 Ruairi Kennelly (Castleknock) 83 83;

173 Gerard Copeland (Galgorm) 86 87.