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The 42
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
St Pat's equal club record win in FAI Cup rout
St Patrick's Athletic 8 UCC 0 CHRIS FORRESTER SCORED a nonchalant brace as St Patrick's Athletic equalled a club record win to cruise through to the FAI Cup third round with this facile victory over Munster Senior League side UCC at Richmond Park. Having won the cup twice in the last four years, and five times in total, Stephen Kenny's side were never in danger of losing their record of never having lost to a non-league team in the competition. Doubtless with Thursday's Conference League home clash with Estonian side Nõmme Kalju in mind, manager Kenny opted for a completely different starting XI from last Thursday's rousing 2-0 win away to FC Hegelmann. That meant a full debut for 19-year-old midfielder Matthew O'Hara, captain of the club's under-20 side, who recently signed his first professional contract having been at the club since he was 13. UCC needed a play-off victory to retain their top flight status in the MSL which finished two months ago. Not only out of season, they travelled to Dublin missing up to a half a dozen first team players in what was head coach Noel Healy's final game over a 15-year association with the university club. Unsurprisingly, it was one way traffic from the off with UCC goalkeeper Kevin Fitzpatrick inspired early on with fine saves to deny Conor Carty and Aidan Keena before Saints' pressure told on 19 minutes, if not from an expected source. Zach Elbouzedi pulled the ball back for defender Axel Sjoberg whose low cross was knocked past Fitzpatrick by his unfortunate skipper Colm Murphy for an own goal. Fitzpatrick made another terrific save to thwart Elbouzedi one-on-one while Carty bounced a header off the crossbar from Brandon Kavanagh's delivery, all a mere prelude to the floodgates opening with a quick-fire treble before half-time. Advertisement First, the lively Kavanagh beat Fitzpatrick at his far post with a looping header from Sjoberg's cross on 40 minutes. Two minutes later Kavanagh's shot was deflected into the path of Keena who cut inside a couple of defenders to drill to the bottom corner. Skipper Forrester then got in on the act to utterly deflate UCC when casually dribbling past three defenders inside the area to tap home. The goal deluge continued into the second half with another three scored inside six minutes of the restart. Scarcely a minute in, Al-Amin Kazeem ghosted in off the left flank to meet Sjoberg's cross and find the top corner for his first goal for the club. Jake Mulraney (file photo). Aleksandar Djorovic / INPHO Aleksandar Djorovic / INPHO / INPHO Two minutes later it was 6-0 when half-time substitute Jake Mulraney rifled to the bottom corner from the edge of the area. Kazeem then provided the cross for Carty to continue the scoring on 51 minutes with a well-placed header. Forrester completed the rout with his second from a crisp low drive to the net on 68 minutes following debutant substitute Billy Hayes' assist. St Patrick's Athletic: Rogers; Sjoberg, Turner, Breslin; Forrester, O'Hara (Grivosti, 63); Elbouzedi (Mulraney, HT), Kavanagh (Hayes, h-t), Kazeem; Carty, Keena. UCC: Fitzpatrick; Duggan, Murphy, Iyalla, O'Neill (Roberts, 64); McCarthy; Walsh (Connolly, 64), Broderick (Bowdren, 80), Howard (O'Halloran, 69), Loughery; Fahy (Sulleiman, 69). Referee: Alan Patchell (Dublin). Attendance: 1,243. ***** Elsewhere in the FAI Cup second round this evening, Longford Town defeated Castlebar Celtic 6-3 in Mayo. A first-half hat-trick from Daragh Murtagh and Dean George double helped the First Division side to victory. Castlebar Celtic opened the scoring in the fourth minute through Mark Cunningham, before Murtagh opened his account with 11 on the clock. Eoghan Hughes moved the hosts back into the ascendency four minutes later, but Murtagh hit back with a five-minute brace. A 39th-minute penalty from Jordan Loftus left it 3-3 at the break. Castlebar dug deep, and Longford only went in front through substitute George in the 75th minute. Another sub, Francis Campbell, was on target in the final minute of normal time, before George made it 6-3 in the additional period.
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
St Patrick's Athletic equal club record victory in FAI Cup demolition of UCC
St Patrick's Athletic 8 UCC 0 Chris Forrester scored a nonchalant brace as St Patrick's Athletic equalled a club record win to cruise through to the FAI Cup third round with this facile victory over Munster Senior League side UCC at Richmond Park. Having won the cup twice in the last four years, and five times in total, Stephen Kenny's side were never in danger of losing their record of never having lost to a non-league team in the competition. Doubtless with Thursday's Conference League home clash with Estonian side Nõmme Kalju in mind, manager Kenny opted for a completely different starting XI from last Thursday's rousing 2-0 win away to FC Hegelmann. That meant a full debut for 19-year-old midfielder Matthew O'Hara, captain of the club's under-20 side, who recently signed his first professional contract having been at the club since he was 13. UCC needed a play-off victory to retain their top flight status in the MSL which finished two months ago. Not only out of season, they travelled to Dublin missing up to a half a dozen first team players in what was head coach Noel Healy's final game over a 15-year association with the university club. Unsurprisingly, it was one way traffic from the off with UCC goalkeeper Kevin Fitzpatrick inspired early on with fine saves to deny Conor Carty and Aidan Keena before Saints' pressure told on 19 minutes, if not from an expected source. Zach Elbouzedi pulled the ball back for defender Axel Sjoberg whose low cross was knocked past Fitzpatrick by his unfortunate skipper Colm Murphy for an own goal. Fitzpatrick made another terrific save to thwart Elbouzedi one-on-one while Carty bounced a header off the crossbar from Brandon Kavanagh's delivery, all a mere prelude to the floodgates opening with a quick-fire treble before half-time. First, the lively Kavanagh beat Fitzpatrick at his far post with a looping header from Sjoberg's cross on 40 minutes. Two minutes later Kavanagh's shot was deflected into the path of Keena who cut inside a couple of defenders to drill to the bottom corner. Skipper Forrester then got in on the act to utterly deflate UCC when casually dribbling past three defenders inside the area to tap home. The goal deluge continued into the second half with another three scored inside six minutes of the restart. Scarcely a minute in, Al-Amin Kazeem ghosted in off the left flank to meet Sjoberg's cross and find the top corner for his first goal for the club. Two minutes later it was 6-0 when half-time substitute Jake Mulraney rifled to the bottom corner from the edge of the area. Kazeem then provided the cross for Carty to continue the scoring on 51 minutes with a well-placed header. Forrester completed the rout with his second from a crisp low drive to the net on 68 minutes following debutant substitute Billy Hayes' assist. St Patrick's Athletic: Rogers; Sjoberg, Turner, Breslin; Forrester, O'Hara (Grivosti, 63); Elbouzedi (Mulraney, h-t), Kavanagh (Hayes, h-t), Kazeem; Carty, Keena. UCC: Fitzpatrick; Duggan, Murphy, Iyalla, O'Neill (Roberts, 64); McCarthy; Walsh (Connolly, 64), Broderick (Bowdren, 80), Howard (O'Halloran, 69), Loughery; Fahy (Sulleiman, 69). Referee: Alan Patchell (Dublin). Attendance: 1,243.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Scottie Scheffler grasps control of 2025 British Open after stellar Saturday at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Matt Fitzpatrick is annoyed with his putting coach Phil Kenyon. Not for something he did or didn't do to help Fitzpatrick's game but rather because Kenyon has shared his secrets with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. 'His putting is night and day,' said Fitzpatrick, who was paired in the final group on Saturday at the 153rd British Open with Scheffler. 'He's just not missed a putt today. There isn't one putt that he's missed, and that's obviously the difference that's taken him to this unbeatable run.' Scheffler is the leading the field in Strokes Gained: Putting this week and whenever his putter heats up – and outshines his otherworldly ball striking – Scheffler is going to be tough to beat. On Saturday, he shot a bogey-free 4-under 67 at Royal Portrush Golf Club to improve to 14-under 199 – his lowest 54-hole total at a major – and assume a four-stroke lead over China's Haotong Li. Scheffler stayed patient, even when he endured an early 3-putt par, even when he failed to make a birdie in his first six holes and even when he needed to salvage pars at Nos. 11 and 14. 'I think anytime you can keep a clean card around a major championship, you're going to be having a pretty good day,' Scheffler said. 'Sometimes major championships it can be tough to make birdies, and today was one of those days where I just had to give myself some looks and was able to hole a few.' The two-time Masters champion already added the PGA Championship to his trophy case in May and now he's 18 holes away from a Claret Jug and a third leg of the career Grand Slam. Asked how satisfying it would be to conquer links-style golf, he replied, 'it would be nice, but I'm not going to be thinking about that tonight.' Scheffler will be bidding for his 17th Tour title and fourth career major and will attempt to become the seventh Open Championship winner to record four rounds in the 60s. He'll be paired in the final round with Haotong Li, who was a member of the International Team in the 2019 Presidents Cup but suffered the yips and hadn't played in a major in three years. He shot 2-under 69 on Saturday and is alone in second. 'I'm actually quite looking forward to it,' he said of playing alongside Scheffler on Sunday. 'Four shots behind, kind of like play for second, especially play with world No. 1. I just try to play my best out there and hopefully make something happen.' Fitzpatrick, who is seeking to become the first Englishman since Nick Faldo 33 years ago to win the British Open, is in third after shooting even-par 71. He knows he faces an unenviable task on Sunday. 'Let's be realistic, he's five ahead. It's not easy. But if you get off to a good start, you get 3-under through 6, like some of the guys today, 7 the par-5, and all of a sudden you're kind of right back in it, you would hope,' he said. 'It's clear what I have to do tomorrow.' Four golfers are tied at 8 under, including Chris Gotterup, who won last week's Scottish Open, Harris English, Tyrrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy. The world No. 2 has had his fair share of battles with Scheffler and was honest as ever in assessing the uphill battle he faces. 'He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise. Everyone's seen the way he's played or plays over the last two or three years. He's just so solid. He doesn't make mistakes,' McIlroy said. 'He's turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn't seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you're trying to chase down a guy like that, it's hard to do.' But much like Fitzpatrick, McIlroy can envision a path to coming from behind and stealing the trophy from one of golf's top frontrunners. McIlroy has done it before, most notably at the 2023 FedEx Cup. 'I've got a chance,' McIlroy said. 'I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen. I've come from a few shots behind before at big tournaments and was able to win. If I can get off to one of those hot starts again, maybe Scottie feels a little bit of that a couple of groups behind, and you never know. Scottie is the best player in the world right now. I think it's clear for everyone to see. He's just consistently so good each and every week he tees it up, so it's going to be a tall order to be able to catch him tomorrow. But I'm going to look forward to the challenge.' Whomever comes out on top will have the honor of being known as the Champion Golfer of the Year.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Scottie Scheffler inches closer to victory at The Open on Saturday
Scottie Scheffler is one round away from his fourth major championship after opening up a four-stroke lead at the Open Championship on Saturday (July 19, 2025) in Portrush, Northern Ireland. Scheffler posted a workmanlike 4-under-par 67 at Royal Portrush to get to 14-under 199, with China's Haotong Li (69) his closest pursuer at 10 under. On a day where the majority of the field shot under par— and six of the top eight players made at least one eagle— Scheffler kept his round bogey-free to remain in the driver's seat. Matt Fitzpatrick played in the final pairing with Scheffler and hung with him for much of the front nine before settling for an even-par 71. He's alone in third at 9 under, and he and Tyrrell Hatton (8 under) hold outside chances at being the first Englishman to win the Open since 1992. The fans in Northern Ireland would rather see their native son Rory McIlroy charge from six back to capture an emotional major triumph. McIlroy's eventful day featured a bizarre shot that unearthed another golf ball buried in the rough; he buried a 56-foot eagle putt one hole later on his way to a 66. Tied with McIlroy and Hatton (68) at 8 under are Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup and Harris English, each of whom shot 68 Saturday. Defending Open champion Xander Schauffele carded two eagles in a round of 66 and sits in eighth at 7 under. Scheffler saved par at No. 14 after his tee shot was buried in some thick rough. He widened the gap between him and the pack when he made birdie at the par-3 16th from 14 feet away. Fitzpatrick erased an opening bogey by chipping in for eagle at the par-5 second to tie Scheffler for the lead. Up ahead, Hatton drew within two of the leaders when he holed out for eagle at No. 7 from 139 yards; his ball landed softly on the green, took some sidespin to the left and dropped into the cup. The tournament seemed wide open as Scheffler opened his round with six straight pars. But he stuck his second shot at No. 7 to 10 1/2 feet and rolled in the eagle putt, followed immediately by a birdie at No. 8 to reach 13 under. No. 11 was a crucial point, as both Scheffler and Fitzpatrick hit poor drives and second shots. Scheffler landed in a native area high above the green, but chipped on and saved par. Fitzpatrick, in contrast, barely got his third shot onto the surface and settled for bogey, giving the World No. 1 a three-shot edge over him and Li. He had two more bogeys and a birdie the rest of the way in. Li, a 29-year-old with four wins on the DP World Tour, has only one top-10 major finish in his career -- third place at the 2017 Open. He leads the field this week in greens in regulation (46 of 54), fewest bogeys or worse (three, tied with Scheffler) and par-4 scoring (6 under). He will be the first man from China to play in the final Sunday pairing at a major.
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Scottie Scheffler takes grip of Open as Rory McIlroy charges up leaderboard
The American reeled off six straight pars but still did not lose his overnight lead – with Matt Fitzpatrick briefly joining him 10 under – before an eagle and birdie opened up a gap. Fitzpatrick remained his main challenger, two back, reaching the turn in a two-under 34 but six holes ahead of them McIlroy was producing one of his thrilling charges. Biding his time. After six pars, Scottie has an eagle in round three. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 The Northern Irishman had got off to a flying start with three birdies in his first four holes but, after a bizarre incident on the 11th when he hit out of the rough and dislodged a previously-buried ball, a bogey meant his challenge appeared to have stalled. That was about the same time Scheffler eagled the seventh and the distance to the top was seven strokes. However, on a Royal Portrush course where he shot 61 as a 16-year-old and backed by huge galleries, Masters champion McIlroy responded by draining a 56ft putt – his longest of the week – at the 12th to get back to seven under and still in contention. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THIS BEFORE?! 🤯 A second ball appears as Rory McIlroy plays his shot 😱 — Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) July 19, 2025 Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who started the day two under having been in danger of missing the cut until a birdie run on his Friday back nine, played the three par-fives in five under with two eagles on the back nine after a birdie at the second to shoot 66 and close on seven under. Another birdie at the 15th and he too was level with McIlroy in a tie for fifth place, with Englishman Tyrrell Hatton ahead of them on eight under, aided by an eagle chip-in at the seventh. Ahead of him was Haotong Li, whose solitary birdie and eight pars left him at nine under – not really in the conversation but definitely in the running. But Scheffler remained the man to beat, as evidenced by his booming 382-yard drive and brilliant approach at the seventh that took him clear of Fitzpatrick again, who could only birdie for 11 under. A 16-footer for birdie at the next gave the reigning US PGA champion a cushion but he could not afford to get too comfortable with world number two McIlroy riding the wave of home support. The highlight of Yorkshireman John Parry's day was holing a 199-yard eight iron for an ace at the 13th in a round of 67 which saw him finish three under.
