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Leinster Gents Matchplay preview

Posted on 15 May '12 by Dave Hayden II

Source: Paul O'Gorman

Leinster Gents Matchplay an overview

The Leinster Gents Matchplay takes residence in Glenville Pitch and Putt Club in a little over a weeks' time. Glenville is one of the most popular courses under the PPUI umbrella, and a course steeped in the history of the game. All players love a visit to Glenville; a city course, but far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, and if the worst comes to the worst and you're taking a hiding, at least the views of the Dublin Mountains are good.

There is a good entry across the board in the Gents section, with plenty of new names in all 3 draws. As I always say, just because something is new, doesn't mean it isn't good. There always seems to be a bolter in Leinster, more so than that other place south-west of Laois, Offaly and Kilkenny, and consequently, you can never really take a match for granted. Saying that for the purpose of this preview, I will be taking many matches for granted!

Glenville is a tricky course. It has some excellent pitch shots - there are few easy holes - and few if any flat greens. The front 9 is arguably the easier. To put that into perspective, those nine opening shots include two holes touching the maximum distance both with out-of-bounds running parallel and gaping sand bunkers at the front; a blind shot close to 60 metres and a hole traversing a valley to a green that I would guess is at a 45° angle in front of a massive bunker. And that is the easier half.

The second nine are not pleasant. Aesthetically they are excellent holes, raised greens, valley shots, sloping greens, and a really tough finishing hole. The recent deluge at the onset of summer (it seems to be something of a tradition now) will have an impact on the course. Some of the tougher holes will become that bit more approachable as they become that little bit more receptive. The back 9 in Glenville is not somewhere you want to be chasing a match, as there are really no easy holes to go on a birdie spree. It will make for good viewing for the spectators however, and there are plenty of really good vantage points to view the proceedings.

They have arguably the finest Pitch and Putt facility across in Glenville. They have ample space in which they could conceivably create another 9 holes of Pitch and Putt, a fine clubhouse with refreshment facilities. They're in close proximity to plenty of hotels, the legendary Shamrock Rovers have set up camp down the road and the Luas is a relatively short walk if any spouse of the finalists wish to take a trip into the big city.

Next weekend should be a really interesting weekend of Pitch and Putt, and once again I'd encourage anyone that can to make the trip to Dublin. Saturday will be a long day of Pitch and Putt, but with free entry, if you could carpool, then the petrol money would be worth the trip. There are few enough major championships and fewer still where the majority of the field can feel like they have a chance. If you have the time, make the trip and support your local players. They will appreciate it, the PPUI will appreciate it, and it will look good for the sport.

Hopefully the weather can improve, and we wish all the competitors the best of luck.
There will be reports on www.ppui.ie throughout the weekend, so if you can't make it to the course on the day, we should be able to keep you up to date.




Leinster Senior Matchplay Championships

I'm really excited about this competition. I cannot explain it. The field, and I'll be lynched for saying this, is different to other years. There is an absence of household names from Offaly, Westmeath, Kildare and to a certain extent, Dublin and Meath. That in my opinion only makes the finals more intriguing, as there are a few clashes where anything could happen

There are preliminaries so there is a bit of uncertainty about the full last 16 draw. I'm going to be a bit prosaic for a moment. These are crucial championships for John Ross Crangle. Huge. They are a big championships for Leinster in general, but the Loughlinstown man has really taken the game to those-we-shall-not-speak-of down below, and I really feel he is a player they feel threatened by. There is a determination about the butcher boy that is reminiscent of former Leinster great Hayden and the Leinster Matchplay holder and all-round legend Sean Downes.

If anything the shame is that 5 genuine contenders are shoe-horned into one quartet, and it leaves the draw looking a little lob-sided. That in itself creates an opportunity for others, while whoever emerges from the group of death will have truly earned their place in the semi-final. But back to Crangle. Not to overshadow the rest of the draw, nor place too much pressure on his shoulders (given we're an amateur sport after all) but his consistency over the past couple of years really is a shot in the arm for Leinster Pitch & Putt. Often unfavourably compared to Munster - the comparison should be with Cork, going through an obvious and undeniable golden age - Leinster Pitch and Putt has stood shoulder to shoulder, that's being kind, with the best of the rest in Munster for the past decade, yet it has been the emergence of Crangle that has fuelled a renaissance of sorts coming into National Championships. His performance here will say a lot heading down to Claycastle next Month.

But the matter at hand is this weekend at Glenville, and a number of players will look at the draw and be quietly confident. There is a number of players highly ranked that are marked absent (Buckley, Murray, Dillon, Carey, Farrelly, the list goes on) that would have fared well. In their stead, new faces will emerge, or perhaps faces that we had just forgotten about. The big name omission and I dare say the other finalists will be privately delighted about this, is Derek Courtney, Mr Glenville. He would have been a favourite, but he succumbed in qualifying to Keith Redmond. It wouldn't be fair to say the competition is lacking for his absence, but it does deny the event that bit of 'je ne sais quoi' that Derek brings to any finals he plays in. There are no home players in fact, and that is a big deal around the Kiltipper course.

Despite mentioning those who aren't in attendance, there is quality still in the draw. Billy Buckley tees off proceedings against the affable Larry McGinn of Collinstown. Larry is a very steady player, and a player underrated by many. And many have made a mistake in doing so; Larry's performance in the National Stroke in Tralee when his province splished and sploshed around him was admirable, and was a bright speck on a bleak day for the Blue Bloods. Billy knows all about the big stage, and it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that he raises his game once again. But I'd fancy McGinn to progress to a Last 16 clash with Lucan's Terry McMorrow, another good solid player, overshadowed by more illustrious clubmen, but with a fine style about him. McMorrow will be good value in the early rounds, and a spot in the quarter-finals is more than attainable for him. He will take it I think.

The next group sees another unusual match (at the risk of drawing ridicule on myself, Leinster does throw up some interesting games), one of our continental brethren, Rene Jan Bloem now firmly ensconced in the less than continental climes of Collinstown, faces clubmate John Browne, an evergreen senior player, and one who never quite pushed onto the level he was capable of. Welcome to René, a first for one of my previews, but alas, goodbye also, as I expect Browner to push on to play Wexford's Paul Tobin in the next round. This could be a gem of a game. I'll admit to being a little bit sketchy of the young lad, but I've checked around, and he's decent. Also, if you can come through a region that nearly always qualifies Murt or Morrisey, then you're alright in my books. These championships have youth stamped all through the grades, and I'm going out on a limb here and putting my considerable weight behind Paul Tobin.
(On that note, I was asked at the weekend by concerned Dublin board Chairman Skinner Malone as to where was the Gents preview? I apologised profusely to Skinner, and explained that my swelling digits, as keenly noticed by Ger Fitzpatrick, aren't conducive to speed-typing. The anxiety of having this preview submitted on time could result in the loss of a few pounds, thus accelerating the review of the finals themselves. Thank you all for your concern!)

The bottom half of the top half features two players (and people) that I have an amount of time for, and a young player that is developing into something of an enigma. Tom Mason and Darren Thornberry are two of the most likeable players you could come across, and their promotion to the Dublin Inter-county team in recent times was an achievement that each deserved wholeheartedly. Tom, a former Leinster Strokeplay winner, and Darren a former Dublin champion will know each other quite well, and this will be an evenly paired contest. Thornberry has started the season like a train, and he is very hard to shift when he settles into a game. I think he will prevail here and I have no doubt that if he does that he'll continue past Erry's Jimmy Scanlon, who he would face in Round 1. Jimmy is a fine player, but he will be coming up against a player at a level above, and will prove too much for the Offaly man.
Onto prelim four and the showdown between young Clara player, Graham Newman, and Paul Cooney of Cement. I know Newman well from the past few years and he is a terrific Pitch & Putt player. For whatever reason he hasn't set the world alight on a bigger stage, but he has all the tools necessary to compete, and this might just be his time. The draw is favourable - he should progress past Cooney - and would face Tullamore's Martin Hoctor. This would be a tougher prospect for Newman if the competition were to be held down around Offaly but this is a winnable match for the Erry man, and he is a real threat in the top half of the draw.

In the bottom half of the draw, the quality of player steps up another notch with the introduction of a who's who of Leinster - Crangle, Goggin, Downes, McGreal. That will get the juices flowing. The aforementioned John Ross Crangle begins his assault on the event with a match against new qualifier James O'Reilly of Guinness. I know the O'Reilly family well, and steeped in Intermediate football on Dublin's Southside, there is a Pitch and Putt connection too, with James brother Tom perhaps more well-known around the Dublin scene. James is the king of Guinness course, and was well-merited in dumping Stephen Murray out in the qualifiers. It will be a different kettle of fish against Crangle, and while he won't be overawed, it's hard to see past Crangle on this one.
That will be a test Crangle will appreciate as following on from that will be a game with the charismatic Sean Goggin from Shandon, sorry Cement (I forgot that Sean is still a Louth man, and not one of the Shandon Globetrotters). Sean is one of the most admired and respected players in the senior grade, and as nice a compliment as that is, he surely would prefer to be liked and be prolific in equal measure. Goggin has a lovely languid style and the term gentle-giant was made for the man. He will be more than a match for Crangle, and really a toss of a coin could determine this one. However, however, however. Those of you familiar with social networking sites will be aware of the national recognition of Crangle's recent collection of Harrington's; i.e. a penchant for silver medals. It has been a source of gentle amusement, but there has been a concerning undertone to it as well. Consequently anyone that travelled to RGSC last weekend for the Dublin scr cup would have been delighted with the vigour which Crangle smashed in the winning putt across the dip to claim first prize, and as I have said elsewhere, that fist-pump which signalled the end of the streak could resonate deep into the summer. In summary, I think Crangle has a date with destiny. Sorry Sean, you're still sound man.
His quarter final opponent will come from the prelim of Meath's Eamon Gibney and Sean Downes, and the next opponent, George McGreal. The preliminary match sees the defence of his title begin by Downes, and while he is sure to be cautious against a player he will know well, I'm sure he will harbour thoughts of a long stay in the tournament. Should he advance he will face a really tough customer in George McGreal. McGreal won the Leinster Strokeplay a couple of years ago on this very course, and has featured prominently in Dublin and in Inter-County finals before, but hasn't really shone on a consistent basis. Often described as horizontal such is his laid back manner and unique playing style, it depends which McGreal turns up on the day. I can't imagine there will be a need for earplugs between the players, but watch for the crowd that will follow this game. They'll be wearing black jumpers and will give the best of order to both players, which must be underlined. They're the Old County members, and they travel in droves when they have a club member competing. Expect no less this weekend.
I would suspect Downes will win, but it will be no shock if McGreal progresses and I mean this with the greatest respect, as it will depend on just how much he wants to win.

In the quarter-finals I would expect the Downes/McGreal victor to face Lucan's Skinner Malone. He is the standout player of the bottom eight group, and should dispose of Sean Galvin of Tullamore and subsequently, Stephen Lynch of Rathfeigh with ease. When I was reviewing the draw over the weekend, Elton John's I'm still standing happened upon the wireless:

?And did you think this fool could never win
Well look at me, I'm coming back again...
...And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away
Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time...?

Apt words from Reg when one considers Malone's recent renaissance, and as proved down in Douglas last year, he is still standing after all this time. And just like Reginald Dwight, and his affinity for the hats, Skinner Malone is a born entertainer, and will give value for money should anyone choose to set their eyes on him.

This would leave a last eight of McMorrow/Tobin; Thornberry/Newman; Crangle/Downes & as already stated I expect Malone to make the semi-finals.
I would suspect that we could be facing into an all-Dublin set of semi-finals, but such events are like Man City winning a trophy, it only happens once in a blue moon. Wait, that's not quite right...
I will back Thornberry to reach the semi-final, but I'm going to buck the trend and say that he will face St Pats Paul Tobin. Sometimes when you're young or inexperienced these things take on a life of their own, whereas when you're slightly older such as myself and an opportunity presents itself, one stiffens up. And there is history to consider in this matter as well. Gary McGreal, Patrick Conneely (to my eternal dismay) and Kevin Thompson all have reached the semi-finals unexpectedly, and I think Paul Tobin will do the same. But no further, as from the moment I saw the draw I felt Darren Thornberry would go far.
Down the bottom, I think John Ross Crangle needs to deliver, and I feel he will, and I think he'll have too much for Malone too, setting up a final with Thornberry.

I think you know which way I feel it will go.

Leinster Intermediate Matchplay Finals

This year's Intermediate Matchplay is set-up to be a cracker of a tournament. There is a great blend of youth and experience. Just like the Junior grade there are no awkward prelim games, straight into a complete round of 16.

The first game up for decision is between Navan's Tony Lalloway and Noel Ryan of Lucan. I have no doubt in my mind that if Ryan plays to anywhere near his ability he will win comfortably. A very good player on his day, if he is in the right mindset he will be difficult to beat in Glenville.
He will await the winner of Darren Reilly of Collinstown, and Lucan's David Hayden II. This will be game of the first round and a pity for both players as they will both feel they can go far in the tournament. Hayden of course is a former winner at Intermediate level, on this course, while Reilly is a much underrated player. My feeling would be that Hayden will set up a quarter-final lash with clubmate Noel Ryan in what could be a championship decider. Hayden stepped away from his administrative duties in an effort to compete more, and a performance at these finals will justify that decision. Glenville will be the perfect forum for the Lucan man to display his superiority at this grade. David Hayden II for the semi-finals.

The next quartet have some finely matched games. In what must be a unique occurrence, last years Junior finalists face each other, this time at a level up. Bellewstown's Shane Townley administered quite the beating on Gowran's Dick Dreeling, and although Dreeling made quite the achievement in progressing through qualifying, I find it hard to believe that young Townley won't have improved a year on. He will face the winner of Navan's John Meade and Declan Mulpeter of Ryston. Mulpeter should progress here, but ultimately I can see Shane Townley advancing to the semi-final to meet Hayden II.

The bottom half of the draw is equally impressive as the top. In the first quartet a Drogheda duo will be aiming to emulate the famous Claret and Blue of Drogheda United and make a positive start to their campaign. Macbride members Christopher Murray and Keith Smyth will be hoping everything will be hunky dory in Glenville, but Stephen Ruane and Brendan Lynch respectively will be banana-skins on their path to the quarter-finals (try working out that LOI reference)! Stephen Ruane is fondly regarded down by Lough Lene, but Chris Murray is equally held in high regard, and I think he will progress.
Smyth against Lynch will be a top-class affair, and I would urge any neutrals to follow it. Lynch has had a fair bit of success so far this year, but Smyth is a canny player, and while the head says Lynch, I've a nagging feeling that Keith Smyth will advance.
If the two do meet in the quarter-finals, Keith Smyth would be my tip to reach the last 4.

The final quarter is laced with quality also. Joe McGrath Senior steps back into the limelight, and a welcome sight it is too. Joe has graced almost every PPUI tourna ment of the past few seasons, in a supporting role for kin Joseph and Tracey. So it is only natural that we wish Joe all the best in his game against Dean Reid of CPM. I have a feeling he'll need it, as Reid is a fine young player, will be familiar with the venue, and he is a player whose star is rising. He has experience at a higher level too, so I think he will be able for the experience of McGrath. He will face the winner of Stephen Keatinge of the great Old County club, and Ciaran McLouglin of the northern Cloghogue club.
It is a credit to their commitment to pitch and putt that Cloghogue constantly trek to finals when they are so far removed, and they have had some great moments down through the years in these championships, with reference to Kevin Thompson's superb performance in the amalgamated finals at Seapoint a couple of years ago. I'm afraid it will only be reminscing for the Newry folk, as Stephen Keatinge is a very good young player. Probably overshadowed slightly by the other Dublin players in his grade, and even moreso by the fine performances of his sister Claire (she is the dominant force in girls Pitch and Putt at present) these finals represent an opportunity for Stephen to strike a mark for himself. I've no doubt he will do so, and give what is sure to be a sizeable Old County contingent something to cheer for during the tournament - more on that later.
That will set up a last eight game between Reid and Keatinge. Hand on heart, surely Dean Reid will make the latter stages, but it will be tricky and anything can happen in this grade.

The final four by my count will pit David Hayden II against Shane Townley, while in the bottom half Keith Smyth should face Dean Reid. If I felt that the Junior final would probably have a rural feel to it, I can see nothing else but a cosmopolitan Intermediate final. Hayden and Reid are the two standout performers in this field, and I don't believe either will be stopped on the way to the final. It's too hard to predict, but there is a beligerence about Hayden that is admirable, and he has history with this venue.
David Hayden II for the win.

Leinster Gents Junior Matchplay

At first glance the Junior matchplay pleases me. There are a number of players that I don't have too much knowledge on. That might seem like an unusual admission, but if you got to know a Junior player due to them winning constantly, then that player wouldn't be a Junior for too long. The other aspect is that we have not had any of the County championships which can give an indication of the form players in the grades - scr cup grade prizes are not a reliable guide, as so many players dodge them for fear of the dreaded axe, or the home player wins because he is the home player. As the year progresses I would expect to get a better handle on the Junior scene, particularily in advance of both the provincial and national strokeplay championships.

The positive aspect of a relatively unknown field is that anyone can win - it's all on the day as the cliché goes. Ideally there are no preliminary rounds as there are 16 qualifiers. 4 games to glory. The two sides of the draw seem to be well matched and the first game drawn between Declan Mulpeter of Ryston and Tullamore's Peter Fox could set the tone for the whole competition. Two young players, Fox has been in impressive form and overcame a very good local player in Matt King in qualifying and this will be a good test of him in the adult grade. Peter Fox to progress but it won't be easy over a seemingly very-eager Mulpeter.

CYMC's Paul Crinnon takes on Kevin Reid of St Bridget's in match two. I know that the Dublin player had a good victory to qualify for the finals, and with a decent standard in Dublin, that would encourage me that he will make the quarter-finals.

Brendan McMahon is another promising young Westmeath player. If the Lakeland County are able to harness and develop these youngsters they could well be a major force in Leinster Pitch and Putt in the next decade. Brendan has been on the podium once or twice as a Juvenile both personally and as part of the Westmeath Inter-County team. His opponent in the First Round is Pat Nash of Athgarvan. Nash is a former county champion at this grade, so it will be interesting to see how this pairing fares. I think McMahon will live to fight another round, so it will be bitter lemonade to drown the sorrows for Nash.

The final game in the top half of the draw concerns Alan Leddy of Navan and Dan Courtney of Lucan. This is going to be a tight game, and one that I'm eager to call. Courtney came through a tough final game with a clubmate of his, surely has experience of the venue and that might be enough to advance.

The bottom half of the draw begins with a tussle between Patrick Maher of Erry Pitch and Putt club, and Longford's Anthony Burke. Patrick is a long-time supporter of PPUI events, and he is a capable individual. However Anthony has played a higher level of Pitch and Putt in the past and will probably have a bit much for the Erry man, he has scored well around the midlands in the past, added to his Inter-County experience and he should continue into the quarter-finals.

The next tie is between Eoghan Stanley of Stackallen and Lough Owel's Martin Loran. Any kind of match between Meath and Westmeath tend to produce fireworks, and this game should be no different. I read that Stanley is the son of former National Champion William, and he seems to be a chip off the old block. He has had a very good start to life in the adult ranks; some of his scores has been very good for this level and would be a clear favourite to progress to the quarters'.

The penultimate game in the bottom half of the draw sees the informed Patrick Robinson of Bagenalstown face Brendan Muldoon of the Castletown club in Meath. This will be a tight tie, and I can see Robinson making the last eight.
The final game in the group is a humdinger. Bellewstown's young player Darren Heeney plays Louth neighbour John Smyth of Collon. Darren Heaney is yet another promising player to compete at this grade and has done relatively well at the underage game. The adult competitions are undoubtedly a step up in quality, but he will have enough to win through.

At the risk of being accused of ageism, I'm predicting good things for some of the younger folk in the quarter finals. I expect that the final four will include Peter Fox, Brendan McMahon, Anthony Burke and Darren Heaney. I'm not confident of the Burke/Stanley outcome, Stanley has done really well locally, his score in his home scratch cup ousted a lot of good players, but Burke's experience surely can't be overlooked.

I'm not predicting a winner here, I think it will be whoever deals with the pressure and the occasion the best will come out the victor.

Anthony Malone


Terry McMorrow


Dave Hayden II