Walsh, O’Neill and Desmond go deep at the South of Ireland golf tournament

Hopes of another Cork winner of the South of Ireland have been pushed back to 2025 after the 2024 challenge ended at the round of 16 stage. There were 11 Cork golfers in action in Lahinch last week, and six of them made it through to the matchplay stage.

James Walsh was the last Cork man standing when it came to Saturday morning’s round of 16 match. 

The Douglas golfer beat Jordan Boles on the 18th green to book a place in the second round against the leading qualifier Ryan Griffin. The Irish International from Donegal was in impressive form, but withdrew due to injury before the second round started. 

That left Walsh with Friday afternoon off, and later that day he found out he would be up against local man Stephen Loftus.

Walsh took an early advantage winning the first two holes, and he held the lead until the 9th when Loftus levelled the match with a birdie. 

The local man went one up on the 12th but Walsh won the 15th and 16th to get ahead again. 

Loftus levelled the match on the 17th and when the 18th was halved in pars, the match headed back up the hill to the 19th. Loftus got up and down in 3, and that birdie was enough to send him through.

2019 winner Sean Desmond qualified again this year, and won his first round match to face Joshua Hill. 

The Galgorm member had the lead for much of the match and was three up through 10. 

Desmond however levelled the game on the 17th and the match continued to the 21st. Hill won it on the 3rd, which incidentally was the same hole when Desmond exited the tournament last year.

Berehaven’s Joe O’Neill is having another good year and following his notable performances in 2024 he made the cut for the second year in a row. He beat Rory O’Connell on the 17th to advance to the second round but Shane McDermott ended up beating him on the 16th on Friday afternoon.

Dean O’Riordan played some great golf on the front nine in his match against Joshua Hill. 

O’Riordan was ahead at the turn but Hill chipped away at the lead and birdies on the 17th and 18th proved decisive. 

Hill finished one up sending the Fermoy man home.

Robbie Walsh was up against reigning champion Colm Campbell, and after trading the second and third the pair went on to half the next 12 holes. Similar to last year’s final when Campbell faced Walsh’s clubmate Peter O’Keeffe, he put the pressure on in the closing stretch. 

Campbell birdied the 16th to go one up, and added another on the 17th to finish the match.

Fermoy secured a Munster East pennant in Mallow on Sunday when they won the Flogas Irish Mixed foursomes. 

They had a good win over Faithlegg to secure the regional pennant and they now advance to the national finals in Oughterard. 

Muskerry have advanced to the final of the Michael Cashman Trophy, they had a clutch win on the 19th hole over Williamstown to book their place in the final which will be held in East Cork. 

Kinsale women also had a regional semi-final win in Mallow. They were competing in the Revive Active Women’s Fourball and beat Monkstown 3-2 to book a final place. 

They will face Tralee who won on the Munster West side of the draw.

This weekend provides golfers in cork with several opportunities to play with many clubs holding open competitions. 

There are also a number of scratch cups taking place, and

Monkstown is currently in great condition and they hold their junior scratch cup on Saturday, Fermoy are holding their intermediate scratch cup over Saturday and Sunday.

Open week has been taking place in Fota Island since Monday and from tomorrow through to Sunday Fota will hold their Junior and Intermediate scratch cups on the Deerpark course. 

On Monday, there are a number of times available for open singles. Bookings can be made online or through the Pro Shop and the entry fee is €60.

Raffeen Creek start their open week with their Junior Intermediate and Minor scratch cups which take place on the 9th and 10th August. 

On Monday 12th the club will hold a ladies three person team competition, sponsored by Martin Scaffolding. 

Men’s open singles take place on Tuesday and a three man team event takes place on Wednesday. 

There’s a mixed team event on Friday and the open week closes with ladies and gents open singles on Saturday.