McGrath masters Glenville to complete historic national double

GLENVILLE Pitch & Putt Club played superb hosts to the highly anticipated Ladies National Strokeplay Finals over Saturday July 11th and Sunday July 12th. The first day saw the Junior and Inter ladies compete for National honours at the South Dublin course in Tallaght. As predicted the local Dublin players were on form in all grades and it was indeed the true blues that claimed two medals at the Junior championships. Siobhan McDonnell of the nearby Lucan club topped of a memorable and fantastic year by finishing in second place in the National Junior Strokeplay. She was a hotly tipped favourite for the crown as she was the reigning Junior Leinster Strokeplay and County Matchplay champion. Siobhan finished ahead of Dublin counterpart Laura Whelan of Old County. +However, the championship was to be dominated by, one of the favourites, Kilbeggan's Aoife Carton. She claimed the title in brilliant fashion leaving her competitors for dust in the final 18 hole playoff. It was indeed the start of an unforgettable weekend for the midland players. Aoife had lead by four shots following the initial 3 holes but coolly and impressively extended her overall lead to eleven shots with 9 holes to play, a lead that she would increase further to 14 shots on 5 over par to easily capture the National Junior Strokeplay title. Congratulations to Aoife from all in Offaly Pitch and Putt. Unfortunately Offaly did not have any representatives in the Junior Grade, but Offaly hopes were certainly high in the Ladies Inter Grade as last years runner-up Ann-Marie McCabe of Ferbane was back to try and go one step further to National glory. Club mate Eileen Guerin, Erry's Linda Flanagan and Geraline Ryan also travelled to the Kiltipper Road venue to take part in the Inter Championships. The cut fell at 12 over par on Saturday afternoon as the weather deteriorated from sunny warm conditions into continuous rain. Ten players qualified for the play-off including Ann-Marie McCabe on 7 over par and Eileen Guerin on 10 over par. Michelle McCarthy of Clonmel lead the way on level par after 36 holes three shots ahead of Munster rival Martha O'Brien of Templemore. As in the Junior grade the half way leader was to increase her lead over the final 18 hole playoff. Michelle McCarthy showed her nerves of steal to shoot a final round of 1 under par in terribly wet conditions. It was deja vu for Ann-Marie McCabe as she held on to second place for a second consecutive year on 10 over par 1 shot ahead of Martha O'Brien. Congratulations to Ann-Marie on her commendable efforts and to Eileen Guerin on making the playoff. On July 12th Erry and Offaly's Tracey McGrath added the National Senior Ladies Strokeplay title to the Ladies Matchplay title she just won last June. It was an outstanding performance coming as she did from four shots behind going into the final 18. Her final round of 7 under par proved the best round of the championships and allowed her to overtake Chrissie Byrne in the final holes and Barbara Furlong who had shot an excellent final round of 6 under par, which propelled Barbara Furlong (Lucan) into second position. In the end Tracey displayed the performance of a champion and proved a deserving winner by a two shot margin. Following years of near misses the title was finally hers. Tracey finished on -10, two shots ahead of Lucan's Barbara Furlong on -8 and three shots ahead of St. Bridget's Chrissie Byrne on -7. Tracey now goes into the record books along with five other names who have won the National Strokeplay and Matchplay titles in same year, they include they following: Claire Keating (1963, 1964, 1973, 1975) , Teresa McGuigan (1966), Norma O'Brien (1991), Peggy Campbell (2002) and present playing great Ger Ward (1994, 2007). Congratulations to Ann-Marie McCabe and Tracey McGrath on fantastic performances at the 2009 National Ladies Strokeplay Finals at Glenville. All the attention now turns to the Gents National Strokeplay Finals which take place in Tralee on Saturday and Sunday July 25th-26th. A strong Offaly contingent travel down to the Kingdom over the coming days for valuable practice for one of the most prestigious championships in Pitch and Putt. In the Junior grade Offaly is represented by Tullamore club mates Ashley Lowry and Michael O'Connell and the Inter grade sees Tullamore's up and coming stars Sean Galvin, Joe Pyke and Ciaran Boland take on the nation's best on Saturday. On Sunday morning the elite of Irish Senior Gents players tee off in the first morning session at 8.30am. Among the competitors in the first session are Tullamore's Darren O'Connell, Mark Hogan, Paul O'Gorman and Anthony Gavin along with the exciting prospects of Erry's Graham Newman, Larry Maher Jnr. and William Buckley Jnr. In the second session the remaining two Offaly representatives take to the course from 11.30am. Ferbane's Patsy Reams and Erry's Joseph McGrath Jnr. will be hoping to put together 36 holes which will get them into the final 18 places for the final playoff round come Sunday afternoon. We wish all our Offaly players the very best of luck in Tralee over the coming weekend!!