Tiernan and Ireland look to make history in Killarney
Gavin Tiernan's sensational run to the quarter-finals of The Amateur Championship has helped earn him a place in the Irish selection for the European Amateur Team Championship at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club next month.
The 19-year-old is part of a six-strong outfit who will hope to make history on the 50th anniversary of the last staging of this competition in Killarney. Ireland are looking to bridge the gap back to 2008 when Shane Lowry was one of the stars of that victorious side. They had gone back-to-back with Rory McIlroy also part of the team in 2007.
Tiernan has built on a third-place finish at his native County Louth in the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship last month, with another strong showing at Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports, where he is up against Estonian Richard Teder this morning.
He is joined by another exciting teenager, John Doyle, who has already claimed the Flogas Irish Boys' Amateur Open Championship and Munster Stroke Play in Cork this year.
Doyle's runner-up finish at the St Andrews Links recently was another huge step forward while Roscommon golfer Thomas Higgins had a fantastic T6 there to help secure his spot on this team.
Killarney Golf & Fishing Club will host the European Amateur Team Championship next month.
Reigning Flogas Irish Men's Amateur Open Champion, Stuart Grehan, is also selected alongside the 2024 winner Matt McClean and fellow former Walker Cup star Caolan Rafferty.
The Irish Boys' team has also been announced ahead of their trip to Golf Resort Kaskada Brno in Czech Republic.
John William Burke, Caelan Coleman, Adam Fahey, Louis Goodman, Isaac Oliver and William O'Riordan will form the team.
Both events take place between July 8-12, there will be two rounds of stroke play on the first two days before match play, with the eight teams who are still in contention for a medal then playing two foursomes and five singles, as the Final takes place on Saturday.
Ireland Men: John Doyle (Fota Island), Stuart Grehan (Co Louth), Thomas Higgins (Roscommon), Matthew McClean (Malone), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), Gavin Tiernan (Co Louth).
Support Team: Captain - Damien Coyne (Tuam); Manager - Mark O'Sullivan (Laytown & Bettystown); Coach - Michael Collins.
Ireland Boys: John William Burke (Ballyhaunis), Caelan Coleman (Galway Bay), Adam Fahey (Portmarnock), Louis Goodman (Co Louth), Isaac Oliver (Glasson), William O'Riordan (Greystones).
Support Team: Captain - John Carroll (Cork); Manager - James Corcoran; Coach - Stephen Hood.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
39 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Bundee Aki's life away from the pitch - from wife and kids to Irish citizenship
Bundee Aki's set to start for the British and Irish Lions during their match against Argentina on Friday night. The New Zealand-born centre, who has been a revelation for both Connacht and Ireland, has been lauded as one of the best players in the country — being nominated as World Player of the Year in 2023. Both on and off the pitch, Bundee has support in the form of his family — with his wife and four children all residing in Galway with him. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bundee Aki (@bundeeaki) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bundee Aki (@bundeeaki) Bundee and his wife Kayla wed in their native New Zealand in 2018, two years after he was a part of the Connacht team that won the Pro12. The couple have three daughters, Armani-Jade, Adrianna and Ailbhe, as well as a son called Adronicus — with three of the kids being born at home after Kayla had a poor experience with the birth of eldest Armani-Jade. The couple also revealed that they were expecting their fifth child earlier this month in an adorable photo on Instagram where Kayla showed off her baby bump. Bundee regularly shares his family on social media, and shared an adorable photo of himself, Kayla and the kids after the country won back-to-back Six Nations championships last year. Bundee Aki and his wife Kayla share four children together, with a fifth on the way. Pic: INPHO/Andrew Downes While there have been plenty of honorary Irishmen and women over the years (Jack Charlton being the most famous example), Bundee revealed last year that he was one of over 3,000 people who became Irish citizens, getting the passport to boot. Speaking on his citizenship, Bundee told the Late Late Show that the decision to join Connacht, which ultimately changed his life, didn't come lightly. 'Obviously, at the time it was a big decision,' he said. 'It wasn't an easy one — I obviously had to talk to a few close family members, close friends and coaches. I had a small family at the time, my wife and two kids and the youngest one was three years old, so to get the call from Pat Lam to come over here and offer an opportunity… I knew I had to give it everything I got.' Bundee became an Irish citizen last October, over 10 years after he joined Connacht. Pic: Courtesy of RTÉ News 'That's one thing I made sure I stood by, to give it everything for my family and for Connacht. It's been 10 years now and I've enjoyed every single bit of it. It doesn't even feel like 10 years — more like two or three years.' 10 years after joining Connacht, he became an Irish citizen — saying that he was greeted with open arms over the previous decade by Irish people. 'It's not just what I do on or off the pitch,' Bundee said. 'The way they've treated me and my family, obviously in Galway, but around the country too, how lovely people are, how welcoming they are with me and my kids. 'You can honestly feel how proud they are, and I feel the love they've given me and for me to be able to get granted the citizenship was no better feeling than to be able to get that chance to be able to say, I can now embrace the Irish culture.'
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
‘We need someone to carry the torch,' says Dublin dad with MND urging for new Irish voice in fight against disease
His plea comes as Kenny Logan and a team of sporting stars complete a 555-mile charity cycle at the Aviva Stadium today. Andrés Estevez-Guersanik (45), originally from Argentina but living in Dublin for 20 years, said Ireland needs a public champion to raise awareness and funding for MND, warning that momentum could fade without a high-profile voice. The father-of-two said: 'We had Charlie Bird and Fr Tony Coote. They made such a difference as they got the nation talking, but they're not here anymore and no one has stepped in. And without that voice, that figure, the momentum is at risk of fading. 'We need someone new to carry the torch for awareness and to change how people treat this disease, how quickly you're diagnosed, how services work. That only happens when someone with a platform says, 'Enough.' When they say, 'This matters.'' Andrés was speaking as he prepares to greet Logan and the team to Dublin and the Aviva Stadium today as they complete Doddie's Lions Challenge – a 555-mile cycle around Ireland raising funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Andrés described his own diagnosis as a 'rollercoaster of emotions'. A passionate runner and cyclist, he said it was devastating to learn he had an incurable illness. 'Suddenly, everything has a different meaning,' he said. 'I value small things much more, and these small things are now the essence of life — sitting down for a coffee and chatting, or the possibility of doing simple little things.' He spoke as Scotland rugby hero Logan led a team including football legend Ally McCoist, broadcaster Gabby Logan, and actor Jamie Bamber on the final leg of Doddie's Lions Challenge, a gruelling cycle raising funds for MND research through My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. The group — cycling around 100 miles a day across Ireland's rugby heartlands — has already raised more than £500,000, with further donations supporting both the Foundation and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Andrés, once a keen marathon runner and cyclist, now relies on support from the IMNDA and is awaiting a hospice bed for respite care. He said public figures are key to changing how people respond to the disease. 'A voice helps people connect with MND — that's the shift we need in Ireland. Because MND can happen to anyone, and people deserve better when it does,' he added. Kenny Logan will lead a team of celebrities on the cycle including his wife, broadcaster Gabby Logan, football legend Ally McCoist, and actor Jamie Bamber. The group will cycle approximately 100 miles a day across some of Ireland's most scenic and historic rugby heartlands, stopping at the home clubs of Lions' legends throughout. The former Scotland winger said: 'Doddie put MND on the map, and we're committed to carrying on his legacy. If this ride helps shine a light and inspires someone in Irish sport to pick up the torch, then it's already a success. 'We've had an unbelievable time in Ireland and it's been incredible to meet members of the rugby and MND communities who have welcomed us with open arms. We're all excited to get to the Aviva to watch the game with Andrés – even though we'll be cheering on different sides!'
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland's darts teams take aim for Six Nations glory
As we know from others sports, Ireland's close ties and proximity to the UK can be a help as well as a hindrance. It's certainly the case in darts, where our top players have easy access to the big tournaments in the UK, but are pretty much now swallowed up by that system. It's why Irish players looking to gain a tour card on the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC ) circuit - and a chance to rub shoulders with the big boys - must do so through the UK qualifiers. Yet the rest of our EU counterparts get to play their own PDC Q School qualifiers in Germany. As Cork's former World Masters champion John O'Shea recently pointed out, Ireland's darts players are much a part of the EU as those from Germany, Holland or Poland. O'Shea also reckons this is why Ireland gets overlooked by the PDC when they put together their increasingly popular World Series of Darts fixtures each year. The World Series sees the top eight players in the PDC, including the likes of Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen, take on the top eight players in Asia and Europe in front of huge crowds in places like Bahrain, Vegas and Copenhagen. O'Shea believes there is no doubt it would be an automatic sell-out here if the PDC brought their best eight players to take on Ireland's best eight in front of an Irish crowd. Five players who would certainly be in contention for that Irish eight would be WDF World Champion Shane McGuirk of Monaghan, Stephen Rosney of Offaly, Waterford's Dean Finn and Paddy Quinn and Donegal's Gerard McGlynn. Add in the serial winners Robyn Byrne and Katie Sheldon of Dublin and Donegal's Denise Cassidy and you would have an eight there that would give the PDC boys a good run for their money! All eight will get the chance to prove their worth this weekend when they compete for the Republic of Ireland men's and ladies teams at the Six Nations in Wales, against teams from the host country, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands. Success is never far off for Irish players at these tournaments, with McGlynn the reigning Six Nations singles champion, while Robyn Byrne is the current Europe Cup singles champion. It's been a great week for darts on this island as it is, with the Northern Ireland pair of Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock winning the PDC World Cup of Darts last Sunday night. The outpouring of emotion from the two was a sight to behold and just shows how much it means to them. Derry man Gurney is a class player and PDC major winner in his own right, but young Antrim man Rock really is something special. It surely won't be long before we see him in the PDC Premier League. And while PDC supremo, Barry Hearn, is at it, he really should think about Ireland for a future World Series of Darts event.
