Dundalk's Brendan Lawlor seals ISPS Handa title
Lawlor had a steady front nine which included a birdie on the second and even though he bogeyed the sixth, he finished with pars all the way in to remain on -3 after two days in the North County Dublin heat.
'I was extremely good from tee to green. I hit 17 greens again today. Struggled big time with my putter, same as yesterday, but I was happy,' said Lawlor.
'Cian was on a wee heater at the start, playing some really good golf. I knew I had to just go out and shoot around level par today and get the job done, but I just wanted to go as low as possible. Unfortunately, I didn't do it but I'm delighted to win.
'My game's in really good shape at the minute, I'm not putting pressure on myself to perform. I'm feeling really confident over the ball, and I just feel things can't go wrong off the tee.
'I know I have to work on my putting. I have a big event in a couple of weeks in America at the US Adaptive Open, so if I can go out and strike the ball like that and can get my putting sorted.
'Hopefully, that's a big one I'd love to win.'
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Irish Examiner
04-08-2025
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's Girls' and Boys' chasing glory at Home Internationals in Cork
Ireland's top amateur golfers are set to compete on two fronts this week as the R&A Home Internationals get underway at Cork Golf Club and Woodhall Spa, with four squads aiming to make their mark against England, Scotland and Wales. This year Brenda Craig (Roganstown) and John Carroll (Cork) will hope home comforts drive their Girls' and Boys' to glory on the Little Island course while Men's team captain Damien Coyne (Tuam) and Women's team captain Gillian O'Leary (The Island) lead their squads to the home of England Golf, aiming to defend their crown. Boys' captain Carroll, a 35-year member of the host club, is optimistic that local knowledge could be a decisive factor in what's expected to be a highly competitive contest. 'It's brilliant for the lads to see the course and for the other countries to come and see the course. I'm obviously biased, but I think it's a great golf course,' said Carroll. 'They can't wait to represent their country. The fact that it's in Ireland, all their families, all their friends will be attending. The fact that it's at home in front of their own family and friends, the lads are super excited, they're really pumped up.' John William Burke (Ballyhaunis), Caelan Coleman (Galway Bay), Adam Fahey (Portmarnock), Bruce MacDonald (Lisburn), John Moran (Portmarnock), Barry O'Connell (Douglas), Harry O'Hara (Clandeboye), Isaac Oliver (Glasson) and William O'Riordan (Greystones) make up the nine strong Boys' squad. The Irish Girls' team enters with plenty of momentum following a bronze medal winning performance at last month's Girls' European Team Championships in England, where they secured a first medal in 19 years. Captain Brenda Craig (Roganstown) retains four members from that squad, with Róisín Scanlon (Woburn), Zoe McLean-Tattan (Romford), Kate Dillon (Oughterard) and Hannah Lee-McNamara (Royal Portrush) all teeing up. They are joined by the Tralee pairing of Ella Moynihan and Lucy Grattan and Esker Hills golfer Ella Cantwell who have all impressed domestically this season. 'It's the first medal that we've won in 19 years, so delighted for the girls, they fought really hard and were very much deserving of their bronze medals,' said Craig. 'We have three new girls joining us, Ella Moynihan who's topped the Order of Merit and Ella Cantwell and Lucy Grattan who have won three out of the four regional championships between them. Really looking forward to the experience of the four girls teaming up with the three new girls on the panel and very much looking forward to a good week in Cork.' Meanwhile the Irish Men's and Women's team travel to Lincolnshire aiming to build on their historic 2024 victory, when a dramatic 7-7 draw against England on the final day saw the combined team secure victory at Murcar Links. Flogas Irish Men's Amateur Open champion Stuart Grehan (Co. Louth) joins a Men's lineup that includes East of Ireland winner David Howard (Fota Island), South of Ireland champion Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), Sean Keeling (Roganstown), Keith Egan (Carton House) John Doyle (Fota Island), Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) and Gavin Tiernan (Co. Louth). Bridgestone Order of Merit leader Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) will be part of a seven strong Irish Women's team alongside AIG Irish Women's Amateur Close champion Anna Dawson (Tramore), Olivia Costello (Roscommon), Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye), Anna Abom (Edmondstown), Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) and Emma Fleming (Elm Park). Ireland will once again face England, Scotland and Wales with the combined team scores from the Men's and Women's matches determining the overall champions. The same format will apply at Cork, where the Boys' and Girls' squads will also contest combined honours. Proceedings get underway at Cork Golf Club on Tuesday morning before action at Woodhall Spa begins on Wednesday.
Irish Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Davy Fitzgerald - Pressure on Derek Lyng unfair while Liam Cahill looks secure
From the outside looking in, it feels as though there's a bit of pressure on Derek Lyng as the Championship heads for its conclusion. I don't think it's fair, what it's worth. He's come in after the greatest manager in the history of the game and won three Leinster titles, but All-Irelands are what really count in Kilkenny. They haven't won one in 10 years and if they don't see it through this year, it'll be their longest ever drought. That shouldn't be pinned on Lyng and this particular group of players, but if it happens on their watch it's something that they'll be associated with, rightly or wrongly. Liam Cahill, by contrast, has probably done enough this year to ensure that he gets another season in Tipperary having brought the team back to Croke Park after a six-year gap and from a position where they looked to be dire straits 12 months ago. But you couldn't be so sure about Lyng if things don't work out tomorrow. To be fair to him, he's put his own stamp on the team. They vary their game more now with the short and long ball. The puckout strategy has evolved beyond what it was under Brian Cody and, in Eoin Murphy, they have a goalkeeper that can adapt to that with relative ease. Kilkenny-Tipperary games were always man-to-man combat but there will be a bit more to this match on the tactical side as both counties have moved on. I still expect hard tackling, plenty of running and lots of nice hurling. This is a game that will have everything - but plenty of variation too, perhaps unlike their meetings of yesteryear. The match-ups will be of particular interest to me and while the Tipperary inside line of Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath and Jason Forde have had a fine season, they will have it all to do coming up against Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor and Tommy Walsh. I would have Lawlor and Limerick's Dan Morrissey down as two of the finest defenders in the game. For me, it's most likely that Lawlor will pair off with McGrath, Butler will take Forde and Walsh will pick up McCarthy. In terms of who Cahill needs to tie down at the other end, TJ Reid, Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody immediately spring to mind and then you have John Donnelly, who works exceptionally hard, can win ball, get scores and has a massive all-round influence on the Kilkenny attack. If TJ plays inside, Eoghan Connolly is one option that Cahill will probably have considered. He's been really good this year, strong in the air and tight but if you give TJ space, even at his age, he'll hurt you. Ultimately, though, I think they'll give that job to Michael Breen and, on balance, it would appear to be the right call. He's more experienced and will be that bit tighter than Connolly. Robert Doyle has had a great year but taking on Cody would be his biggest test yet, presuming the Ballyhale man is fully fit and firing. McGrath has been written off for the last few years but it's great to see him back to his best. Again, he'll have it all to do against Lawlor. Ronan Maher would seem a good match for Donnelly but I'm not sure that Cahill will opt for that. In terms of how it will all play out, I can see Forde edging it on Butler. Not many get the better of Butler but Forde is playing with serious confidence. But could I see McGrath and McCarthy doing the same on Lawlor and Walsh respectively? It's a possibility, of course, but less likely. So Kilkenny should have the edge back there, even allowing for the good form that those Tipperary players bring into this game. And I think they will up front too. You could see Breen containing TJ, but Doyle and Craig Morgan tying down Cody and Mullen as well seems a stretch. It's important to state that these are largely 50-50 battles and it's not about one player completely obliterating the other, more which team can shade enough of them to give their side the edge. And I believe the advantage lies with Kilkenny in that respect for the most part. But then that could be offset by Tipp seemingly having a bigger impact off their bench - and that's a point that cannot be overstated. You have Noel McGrath's know-how and experience coming in and the likes of Oisin O'Donoghue, a big powerful man who came up with a goal against Galway. But, ultimately, Kilkenny aren't Galway and this game won't be loose in the way that that one was. Kilkenny to edge enough of those key battles around the field and return to the final. ======= Cork find themselves with a massive opportunity and they owe much of it to their resilience. They suffered a gut-wrenching defeat to Clare in last year's All-Ireland final and were hammered by Limerick only a few weeks ago, but they've stuck to their task and come to Croke Park as Munster champions and All-Ireland favourites. Deservedly so. It's a big year for this team, 20 years since Cork last scaled the summit. They are a side that thrives on confidence and winning Munster fuels that all the more. There are two key differences that I've noted with them this year. Firstly, they are pressing the opposition half-forward line a lot more, something they didn't do in last year's All-Ireland final, to their cost. I remember watching Mark Coleman that day standing on his own on the Cork 65, playing zonally. Meanwhile, David Fitzgerald picked up a mountain of ball, got a few scores and set up a few more. Coleman either needed to press or drop and protect his full-back line. By playing zonally, he was doing neither. This year, Cork are pressing but that comes with its own dangers and I would be wary of all three half-backs doing it at the same time with no cover for the full-back line. You need one to sit deeper to offer that protection and ideally that would be Robert Downey, presuming he lines out at centre-back. Secondly, there's a much greater work ethic from their forwards. They are tracking and blocking and that unselfish element of their game makes a big difference. Dublin will pose them a different challenge, however. Their pace in the middle third is unreal and they are very good at building the play from the back with the short ball. Sean Brennan has won his place back in goals and brought off the save of the season from Aaron Gillane. Their full-back line is solid but how they cope with Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes will likely define the game. The midfield battle will be fascinating. Conor Burke was sensational for Dublin against Limerick but Darragh Fitzgibbon is flying it too. I was very impressed by Dublin when Antrim came up against them, how well organised they were, their pace, the variation in their game and, most of all, how they play for each other. That variation is manifest in their ability to go long to John Hetherton or Ronan Hayes, whichever of them is on the edge of the square. Hetherton provided impact off the bench the last day but I would start him this time. He takes a lot of marking and Cork struggle with big men who are good in the air. The trade-off for Dublin is that they probably wouldn't get the full game out of him, but the start of this game will be crucial. If Dublin can get Sean Currie working effectively off Hetherton then they'll be in business. Dublin are here on merit, but while they survived heroically without Chris Crummey last time, he'll still be a massive loss. He's a good defender in his own right but he builds the play so well and causes problems for opposition going forward. Their ability to back up a strong performance with another is also in question. It's something that dogged Clare in the early years of my playing career. We came from nowhere to beat Limerick and Cork in 1993 but tanked against Tipperary in the Munster final. The following year we beat Tipp but were hammered by Limerick. We recognised that when you're built up after a big win, you just have to come back with as much appetite the next day. We finally cracked it in 1995 then. Back-to-back performances would be the biggest indicator of Dublin's progress. They're not coming in under the radar this time. But I think Cork will thrive back in Croke Park. The space will suit them. They haven't produced a top level performance over 70 minutes in this Championship yet but I feel that it's coming. I expect Dublin to turn up, but Cork to win.
Irish Daily Mirror
02-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kilkenny v Tipperary: Huw Lawlor relishing semi-final shot at the Premier men
Sunday will only be the second time in his Kilkenny career that Huw Lawlor will face Tipperary in the championship. The first? The 2019 All-Ireland final. He marked Seamus Callanan, who scored 1-2, and the Cats were left way behind on the scoreboard, the first half red card for Richie Hogan helping Tipp to a 3-25 to 0-20 triumph. Quite the baptism. "Yeah, look, obviously it was a tough first year," said Lawlor. "You go in as a defender in your first year, you're going to be challenged in different ways. I took huge learning from that match and every championship match that year." He's asked if Hogan's sending off just before half-time, for a high challenge on Cathal Barrett, was the turning point. Kilkenny had led by five points earlier in the half but Tipp were ahead by the break. "Ah look, it's a long time ago now," sighed Lawlor. "It's hard to process it at the time. It was close enough to half-time, you were just trying to readjust and get ready for the second half but I don't think you have too much time to be over-thinking it, really." The full-back has been a rock for Kilkenny, particularly since the Cody dynasty ended and the Lyng era began. He played soccer as a kid and a bit of Gaelic Football, but his first love won out in the end. "It came with time, you have to give up on them, hurling was the easy winner there," he smiled. And the full-back line was almost always home. "I would have started as a corner-back," said Lawlor. "I was fairly small when I was younger so I was kind of always a corner-back. "Did a bit of experimenting around the half-forward line when I was in sixth year of school I think. But no, I had a defensive mindset, really. It's the same with the club and the county, you're trying to approach it the same way. The jeopardy is still there. "Your focus has to be on the team the whole time, I don't think you're going to get any plaudits in terms of scoring or anything as a some lads are, maybe not me! But it's just trying to help the team the best way, but it's the same approach no matter what level you're playing, I think." The 29-year-old has four Leinster titles under his belt and has won two All Stars. Kilkenny have come close to lifting the MacCarthy Cup. That 2019 defeat was the first of three final appearances in the last six years, and they were losing finalists to the Limerick machine in 2023 and '23. That it's old rivals Tipp in their way of another final appearance adds more spice as Kilkenny try to bring a 10-year wait to an end. "Obviously there were huge battles there in the late 2000s and two great teams went at it, and those Kilkenny players are heroes of ours so just trying to replicate that," Lawlor said. "There's huge history there and there's obviously been massive local excitement there naturally. But look, it's a semi-final there. We want to go and win the game, so nothing's changed there." Last year it was Clare who out-lasted the Cats, who had twice put themselves in a commanding position. "Obviously it was hugely disappointing to lose that game," Lawlor recalled. "We put ourselves in a good position and we didn't finish it off. "It's not easy to watch a team go on and win the All-Ireland when they've beaten you, but we could have no complaints. We didn't finish the job and they won it out. "Every time you lose, it's feeding into something inside you that's driving you on. Probably losing would drive you on a lot more than winning would and we're just trying to put that right." Lawlor has been a clinical dietician in St Luke's Hospital for almost four years, having done a masters in nutrition and dietetics in UCD in 2019. He leaves the sports nutrition end of it to Kilkenny's own dieticians, Marie Power and Eimear Nolan. "If there are any questions from the lads I just tell them they're asking the wrong person, go ask the dietitian, you know," he grinned. "I work on the clinical side in the hospital, sports nutrition would be a separate thing really, and the two girls are experts there, so they're brilliant. There's probably been more of a focus on it now, for sure." He smiles at the mention of Kilkenny great Tommy Walsh eating heavily buttered white bread on the day of games. "It didn't do him any harm, I wouldn't be going against Tommy Walsh, that's for sure," laughed Lawlor. "Obviously you hear stories of what lads were doing back in the day, but it's an important thing - you might be talking about that one percent in terms of making an improvement. "But look, nutrition is a big part of it now and you're just trying to nail it and not leave yourself short on game day. Coming up to a match especially, there's a few things you're wanting to get right just so you can trust your body that it's going to be right on the day to go for 70 plus minutes. "It's definitely a crucial factor and something that we're reminded of all the time. Same with anything, you could say it about your training and your sleep and your nutrition, if you leave one short, you're going to suffer down the line. So it's just something you have to nail all the time." Huw Lawlor was speaking at the launch of the 24th annual Circet All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge in aid of GAA-related charities at Michael Lyng Motors (Ford) in Kilkenny.
