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Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Jonathan Keane chasing home glory as Caolan Rafferty eyes second South of Ireland victory at Lahinch
The Kilfenora schoolteacher (25) faces Edmondstown's Liam Abom (22) for a place in the final against Grange's Jake Whelan (30) or Dundalk's Caolan Rafferty (32) with the entire club pulling for him at the west Clare links. While his father has dozens of trophies for showing his prize cattle, Keane has yet to trouble the trophy engravers, but he's hoping to at least give himself a shot at the title. 'We've loads of the silverware at home but nothing for golf,' joked Keane, who gave up the accordion and the chance to add to Kilfenora's traditional music tradition to focus on his golf. He certainly has the game and the grit to go all the way. He played excellent golf to beat Galway veteran Joe Lyons 5&4 in the third round before relying on his short game to see off the highly experienced Carton House man Paul O'Hanlon 2&1 in the afternoon. Just one up with seven to play, he got up and down on the 12th for a birdie to double his lead, lost the 13th to a birdie three, but got up and down again on the 14th for a half before repeating the trick to win the 15th and 16th with pars. A two-putt par got him over the line on the 17th, and he admits becoming the first local member to win since JD Smyth in 1968 would be like winning a major. 'It'd be great to win it after him,' said Keane, who joined the club in 2011 and first saw the final in 2015 when Stuart Grehan beat Colin Fairweather in a downpour. 'He used to coach me when I was younger. I have to give credit to him now for the up and downs. He really was a short game wizard.' As for winning the title, he knows he can't get ahead of himself against Abom, who made seven birdies to edge out East of Ireland champion David Howard by two holes in his quarter-finals. 'It would mean everything,' Keane said. 'I got to the quarters of the West this year and lost to Dylan Holmes, who was unbelievable. 'But I've been playing decent there with the last four or five months this year, so as always, I will just try and one shot at a time and give it 100 per cent, and whatever happens after that, you can't really do too much about it.' Abom had to dig deep to beat the talented Roganstown teenager, Mark Cadden, one-up in the morning. Howard denied him a fraternal quarter-final clash with his younger brother Thomas, the reigning Irish Close champion, with a win on the 20th in the last 16 and he's keen now to earn some family bragging rights by winning a 'major' himself. 'I'd say that was my best performance,' Abom said of his birdie blitz against Howard. 'I feel like I'm playing freely and I'm not worried about the consequences as much.' Keane or Abom will face a quality player in the final as 2018 champion Rafferty meets another superb ball-striker in Whelan in the other semi-final. 'He's one of the best in Ireland, if not the best,' said Whelan, a former Mullingar Scratch Cup winner, after notching solid 2&1 wins over Connemara's Luke O'Neill and Ballybofey and Stranorlar's Ryan Griffin. 'He does everything well, and he's been one of the top one or two players in the country now for five or six years.' Whelan feels he's a far better and more mature player now than he was in 2019, when he lost 5&3 to Keith Egan in the semi-finals and he knows what will take to win. 'Everyone here can play, so I'm just going to have to shoot a good few under tomorrow and see where that leaves me,' he said. Former Walker Cup player Rafferty has won the South, East and West of Ireland titles, but while he never tires of winning, fatherhood is now a priority. 'Every championship is the same, it's the best feeling ever,' Rafferty said after a brace of 5&3 wins over Monkstown's Sean Desmond and Athenry's David Kitt. 'That's why we play golf. This will be a wee bit more special, being the first one that the child will be here. 'No pressure, it's another day of golf and just see what happens… Just let the clubs hit the ball and find it and hit it again.' Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch Third round Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) bt Seán Desmond (Monkstown) 5/3; David Kitt (Athenry) bt Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) 19th; Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt Dylan Holmes (Greystones) 21st; Jake Whelan (Grange) bt Luke O'Neill (Connemara) 2/1; Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) bt Joe Lyons (Galway) 5/4; Paul O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt Conor Stapleton (Westport) 2/1; David Howard (Fota Island) bt Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 20th Liam Abom (Edmondstown) bt Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 1 up Quarter-finals Rafferty bt Kitt (Athenry) 5/3; Whelan bt Griffin 2/1; Keane (Lahinch) bt O'Hanlon 2/1; L Abom bt Howard 2 up.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Keane dreaming of home glory as Rafferty eyes second South win
Lahinch's Jonathan Keane says it would "mean everything" to win the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland, but he knows he must stick to the one-shot-at-a-time cliché if he's to make his dream come true. The Kilfenora man (25) gave up the accordion to focus on his golf, and while he faces a tough semi-final against Edmonstown's Liam Abom (22), he knows he has the local knowledge, the support and the game to make the final. Dundalk's Caolan Rafferty, the 2018 champion, is the hot favourite as he faces Grange's Jake Whelan, a former semi-finalist, in the other big match of the morning. But if former Walker Cup star Rafferty is the virtuoso performer, as he showed when reeling off a brace of 5&3 wins over Monkstown's Sean Desmond and Athenry's David Kitt, Keane showed he has the grit to go all the way. He played excellent golf to beat Galway veteran Joe Lyons 5&4 in the third round before using his short game to see off the highly experienced Carton House man Paul O'Hanlon 2&1 in the afternoon. Just one up with seven to play, he got up and down on the 12th for a birdie to double his lead, lost the 13th to a three, but got up and down again on the 14th for a half before repeating the trick to win the 15th and 16th with pars. A two-putt par got him over the line on the 17th, and he admits winning a championship he first saw contested a decade ago would be like winning a major. While overseas member Patrick Adler, now a pro, won last year, Keane would be the first local member to win since JD Smyth in 1968. "It'd be great to win it after him," said Keane, who joined the club in 2011 and first saw the final in 2015 when Stuart Grehan beat Colin Fairweather in a downpour. "He used to coach me when I was younger. I have to give credit to him now for the up and downs. He really was a short game wizard." Abom had to dig deep to beat the talented Roganstown teenager, Mark Cadden, one up in the morning, and it was a dogfight in a quality afternoon quarter-final with Fota Island's David Howard. He won by two holes, getting revenge for his younger brother Thomas' 20th-hole defeat to the Corkman in the morning. Thomas won the Irish Close last year and Liam admits it would be nice to claim back some bragging rights by going all the way this week. "I'd say that was my best performance," Abom said after making seven birdies against Howard with his birdie-birdie-par run from the 13th key to his win. "I feel like I'm playing freely and I'm not worried about the consequences as much." Fatherhood has made Rafferty a more mellow character, but he remains the man to beat, as Whelan explained after his 2&1 win over Donegal's Ryan Griffin. "He's one of the best in Ireland, if not the best," said Whelan (30), a former Mullingar Scratch Cup winner who is looking for his first championship win. "He does everything well, and he's been one of the top one or two players in the country now for five or six years." Whelan feels he's a far better player now than he was in 2019, when he lost 5&3 to Keith Egan in the semi-finals. "Everyone here can play, so I'm just going to have to shoot a good few under tomorrow and see where that leaves me," he said, believing that playing the course rather than the man is the best tactic. Rafferty has won the South, East and West of Ireland titles, but he never tires of winning, "Every championship is the same, it's the best feeling ever," he said. "That's why we play golf. This will be a wee bit more special, be the first one that the child will be here, to have that as well. So that's an addition to it this time." Having done it all in the amateur game, he's more relaxed than ever. "No pressure, it's another day of golf and just see what happens," he said. "I'm definitely playing less golf (as a father). "Probably a little bit uptight at times with golf like we all do. But no,nice and relaxed. Just let the clubs hit the ball and find it and hit it again.' Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch Third round Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) bt Seán Desmond (Monkstown) 5 & 3; David Kitt (Athenry)bt Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) 19th; Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt Dylan Holmes (Greystones) 21st; Jake Whelan (Grange) bt Luke O'Neill (Connemara) 2/1; Jonathan Keane (Lahinch)bt Joe Lyons (Galway) 5/4; Paul O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt Conor Stapleton (Westport) 2/1; David Howard (Fota Island) bt Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 20th Liam Abom (Edmondstown) bt Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 1 up Quarter-finals: Raffertybt Kitt (Athenry) 5/3; Whelan bt Griffin 2/1; Keane (Lahinch) bt O'Hanlon 2/1; L Abom bt Howard 2 up. Sunday Semi-finals: 8:30 Rafferty vWhelan; 8:45 Keane v L Abom.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
David Howard puts blazer chase aside to focus on South of Ireland title bid at Lahinch
But while making the cut and winning his first two matches makes him odds-on to hold on to his top-two status in the Bridgestone Order of Merit and earn automatic selection on Sunday night for next month's Home Internationals, he's looking to add the South to his maiden major win in the East of Ireland last month. He beat Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack 2&1 before seeing off Charleville's Jordan Boles 6&5 to set up a last 16 clash with Irish Close champion Thomas Abom from Edmonstown. And after being forced to dig deep just to make the top 64 who qualified for the matchplay stages, playing his last six holes in four under to make it with a shot to spare, he's not going down without a fight now. "It's a long day, long week, and I have a few things hanging over me," said Howard, who has decided not to worry about the mathematics of who might overtake him in the Order of Merit. "I need to stay second to be guaranteed a pick for the Homes but while I try to not think about and play my golf, obviously it's in the back of my mind." He continued his excellent play in a light westerly breeze, making five birdies in the morning and another four in the afternoon. West of Ireland champion Dylan Holmes, who ended Keith Egan's top-two Order of Merit hopes and then beat Mountrath's Niall Hearns in the afternoon to make the last 16, could overtake Howard if he wins the title. But Howard is focusing on his battle on the opposite side of the draw, where Galway veteran Joe Lyons faces Lahinch's Jonathan Keane and Conor Stapleton from Westport takes on Carton House's Paul O'Hanlon, who was a 19th hole winner over 2023 champion Colm Campbell. "If I win this week, no one else can get in the way," said Howard, who feels his putting is coming together after some recent work with Kevin Morris at Fota Island. He faces a tough match against Thomas Abom, who chipped in for birdie at the 18th before beating Tralee's Mark Gazi with another birdie at the 20th and going on to beat Galgorm's Jamie Sutherland 2&1. The winner will face Roganstown's Mark Cadden or Abom's brother Liam, who beat Galgorm Castle's Josh Hill one up in the afternoon. Cadden, controversially left out of the Irish team for the Boys Home Internationals, held off a back nine comeback from 2012 winner and 'South' specialist Pat Murray to win his morning match one up before ousting former Irish Close champion Quentin Carew 2&1 in the afternoon. At the top of the draw, Seapioint's Dylan Keating became the fourth leading qualifier in a row to exit on day one, losing one up to Monkstown's Sean Desmond, who went on to beat East Clare's Eoin Magill. Desmond now takes on 2019 winner and former Walker Cup star Caolan Rafferty, who came back from three down with five to play to edge out Berehaven's Joe O'Neill on the 18th. The Dundalk man won the 14th, 15th and 17th to level the match before O'Neill hit his approach too close to the wall at the 18th and, unable to make a full backswing, conceded after twice failing to get on the green. "It was just a rough spin in for Joe," Rafferty said after his closing birdie. "I just kept hitting fairways and greens, and what happened on 18, it's not nice when something like that happens to a nice guy like Joe." The winner of the Desmond-Rafferty clash will take on Galgorm's Jordan Hood, who beat the combative Douglas man Barry O'Connell one up, or the steady Athenry grinder David Kitt. West of Ireland winner Holmes from Greystones looks like a serious challenge for last year's leading qualifier Ryan Griffin from Ballybofey and Stranorlar after he followed his win over Egan with five birdies in a 6&5 victory over Hearns. The winner of Holmes-Griffin clash will face Connemara's Luke O'Neill or Grange's Jake Whelan. O'Neill beat Royal Dublin's Sean Downes with a birdie at the fifth extra hole, the Dell, in round one before defeating Fionn Dobbin 5&3 while Whelan didn't have to go past the 16th in beating Bunclody's Jason Rackard and Mullingar's Adam Smith. Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch First round: S Desmond (Monkstown) bt D Keating (Seapoint) 1 up; E Magill (East Clare) bt B Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 2/1; C Rafferty (Dundalk) bt P Curran (Edmondstown) 5/4; J O'Neill (Berehaven) bt J Butler (Naas) 3/1; B O'Connell (Douglas) bt A Buchanan (Royal Portrush) 1 up; J Hood (Galgorm Castle) bt C Clarke (Balmoral) 2/1; D Kitt (Athenry) bt R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 5/3; C Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt D Reddan (Castleknock) 1 up; R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt R Latimer (Knock) 3/2 A McCormack (Castletroy) bt E O'Carroll (St Annes) 6/5; D Holmes (Greystones) bt K Egan (Carton House) 3/2; N Hearns (Mountrath) bt J Foley (Elm Park) 2/1; L O'Neill (Connemara) bt S Downes (Royal Dublin) 23rd; F Dobbin (Malone) bt E Sullivan (Portmarnock) 3/2; J Whelan (Grange) bt J Rackard (Bunclody) 3/2; A Smith (Mullingar) bt D Lally (Blainroe) ) 5/4; J Lyons (Galway) bt C Hickey (Dooks) 5/3; B Cahill (Dundalk) bt S Barry (Fota Island) 1 up; S Loftus (Lahinch) bt J Maginn (Mourne) 19th; J Keane (Lahinch) bt G O'Neill (Malahide) 4/3; C Stapleton (Westport) bt T Scroope (Nenagh) 3/2; G Donohoe (Enniscorthy) bt R Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up; P O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt J Walsh (Douglas) 6/5; C Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt K Bornemann (Douglas) 3/2; T Abom (Edmondstown) bt M Gazi (Tralee) 20th; J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) bt C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 4/2; J Boles (Charleville) bt D Hogg (Belvoir Park) 6/5; D Howard (Fota Island) bt R McCormack (Palmerstown House) 2/1; L Abom (Edmondstown) bt D O'Sullivan (Tralee) 3/1; J Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 21st; Q Carew (Castleknock) bt B Howlin (The Heritage) 19th; M Cadden (Roganstown) bt P Murray (Adare Manor) 1 up. Second round: Desmond bt Magill 1 up; Rafferty bt O'Neill 1 up; Hood bt O'Connell 1 up; Kitt bt Cooley 3/2; Griffin bt McCormack 1 up; Holmes bt Hearns 5/3; O'Neill bt F Dobbin 5/3; Whelan bt Smith 5/4; Lyons bt Cahill 6/5; Keane bt Loftus 3/2; Stapleton bt Donohoe 1 up O'Hanlon bt Campbell 19th; T Abom bt Sutherland 2/1; Howard bt Boles 6/5; L Abom bt Hill 1 up; Cadden bt Carew 2/1. Saturday - Third rd.: 8:00 Desmond v Rafferty; 8:12 Hood v Kitt; 8:24 Griffin v Holmes; 8:36 O'Neill v Whelan; 8:48 Lyons v Keane; 9:00 Stapleton v O'Hanlon; 9:12 T Abom v Howard; 9:24 L Abom v Cadden.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Howard focusing on the title not the blazer after making last 16 at Lahinch
Fota Island's David Howard slipped one arm into an Irish blazer when he eased his way into the last 16 of the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch. Ranked second in the Order of Merit with the top two automatically selected tomorrow night for next month's matches at Woodhall Spa, he beat Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack 2&1 before seeing off Charleville's Jordan Boles 6&5 to set up a last 16 clash with Irish Close champion Thomas Abom from Edmonstown. It was an intense 24 hours for the reigning East of Ireland champion, who had to dig deep just to make the cut and keep his hopes of an international cap alive. But having played his last six holes on Thursday in five-under to qualify, he continued his excellent play in a light westerly breeze yesterday, making five birdies in the morning and another four in the afternoon. 'It's a long day, long week, and I have a few things hanging over me.' said Howard, who has decided not to worry about the mathematics of who might overtake him in the Order of Merit and focus instead on winning the championship. 'I need to say second to the guaranteed a pick for the Homes but while I try to not think about and play my golf, obviously it's in the back of my mind.' West of Ireland champion Dylan Holmes, who beat Keith Egan and Niall Hearns to make the last 16 and set up a meeting with Donegal man Ryan Griffin, could overtake Howard if he wins the title. But Howard is focusing on his battle on the opposite side of the draw, where Galway veteran Joe Lyons faces Lahinch's Jonathan Keane and Conor Stapleton from Westport faces Paul O'Hanlon, a 19th hole winner over 2023 champion Colm Campbell. 'If I win this week, no one else can get in the way,' said Howard, who feels his putting is coming together after some recent work with Kevin Morris at Fota Island. He faces a tough task against Thomas Abom, who chipped in for birdie at the 18th to take Tralee's Mark Gazi into extra holes before two-putting for a winning birdie from long range at the 20th. The winner will face Roganstown's Mark Cadden or Abom's brother Liam, who beat Galgorm Castle's Josh Hill one up. Cadden held off a back nine comeback from veteran Pat Murray to win his morning match one up before ousting former Irish Close champion Quentin Carew 2&1 in the afternoon. At the top of the draw, leading qualifier Dylan Keating fell in round one to Monkstown's Sean Desmond, who was the last man to qualify, and went on to beat East Clare's Eoin Magill. He now takes on 2019 winner and former Walker Cup star Caolan Rafferty, who came back from three down with five to play to edge out Berehaven's Joe O'Neill on the 18th. The Dundalk man won the 14th, 15th and 17th to level the match before O'Neill hit his approach too close to the wall at the 18th to make a full backswing and conceded after twice failing to get on the green. 'It was just a rough spin in for Joe,' Rafferty said. 'I just kept hitting fairways and greens and what happened on 18, it's not nice when something like that happens to a nice guy like Joe.' The winner of Desmond-Rafferty will take on Galgorm's Jordan Hood, who beat the combative Douglas man Barry O'Connell one up, or the steady Athenry grinder David Kitt. Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch First rd: S Desmond (Monkstown) bt D Keating (Seapoint) 1 up E Magill (East Clare) bt B Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 2/1 C Rafferty (Dundalk) bt P Curran (Edmondstown) 5/4 J O'Neill (Berehaven) bt J Butler (Naas) 3/1 B O'Connell (Douglas) bt A Buchanan (Royal Portrush) 1 up J Hood (Galgorm Castle) bt C Clarke (Balmoral) 2/1 D Kitt (Athenry) bt R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 5/3 C Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt D Reddan (Castleknock) 1 up R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt R Latimer (Knock) 3/2 A McCormack (Castletroy) bt E O'Carroll (St Annes) 6/5 D Holmes (Greystones) bt K Egan (Carton House) 3/2 N Hearns (Mountrath) bt J Foley (Elm Park) 2/1 L O'Neill (Connemara) bt S Downes (Royal Dublin) 23rd F Dobbin (Malone) bt E Sullivan (Portmarnock) 3/2 J Whelan (Grange) bt J Rackard (Bunclody) 3/2 A Smith (Mullingar) bt D Lally (Blainroe) ) 5/4 J Lyons (Galway) bt C Hickey (Dooks) 5/3 B Cahill (Dundalk) bt S Barry (Fota Island) 1 up S Loftus (Lahinch) bt J Maginn (Mourne) 19th J Keane (Lahinch) bt G O'Neill (Malahide) 4/3 C Stapleton (Westport) bt T Scroope (Nenagh) 3/2 G Donohoe (Enniscorthy) bt R Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up P O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt J Walsh (Douglas) 6/5 C Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt K Bornemann (Douglas) 3/2 T Abom (Edmondstown) bt M Gazi (Tralee) 20th J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) bt C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 4/2 J Boles (Charleville) bt D Hogg (Belvoir Park) 6/5 D Howard (Fota Island) bt R McCormack (Palmerstown House) 2/1 L Abom (Edmondstown) bt D O'Sullivan (Tralee) 3/1 J Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 21st Q Carew (Castleknock) bt B Howlin (The Heritage) 19th M Cadden (Roganstown) bt P Murray (Adare Manor) 1 up. Second rd: Desmond bt Magill 1 up Rafferty bt O'Neill 1 up Hood bt O'Connell 1 up Kitt bt Cooley 3/2 Griffin bt McCormack 1 up Holmes bt Hearns 5/3 O'Neill bt F Dobbin 5/3 Whelan bt Smith 5/4 Lyons bt Cahill 6/5 Keane bt Loftus 3/2 Stapleton bt Donohoe 1 up O'Hanlon bt Campbell 19th T Abom bt Sutherland 2/1 Howard bt Boles 6/5 L Abom bt Hill 1 up Cadden bt Carew 2/1. Today - Third rd.: 8:00 Desmond v Rafferty 8:12 Hood v Kitt 8:24 Griffin v Holmes 8:36 O'Neill v Whelan 8:48 Lyons v Keane 9:00 Stapleton v O'Hanlon 9:12 T Abom v Howard 9:24 L Abom v Cadden.
Irish Examiner
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Adam Buchanan and Sean Downes hit route 66 to set the pace at Lahinch
Adam Buchanan enjoyed a dream debut in the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship when he opened with a six-under 66 to claim a share of the first round lead at Lahinch. The 20-year-old Ballyclare native, who made such a splash with NAIA college Keiser University this season that he's secured a transfer to NCAA Division I ranked Louisville next month, made seven birdies and a lone bogey at the 14th to share top spot with Royal Dublin's Sean Downes on a perfect links day in west Clare. 'I won the Conference and had five top-fives,' reported Buchanan, who is also a member of Knock Golf Club. 'I was going to stay another year and then decide to transfer, but Louisville reached out, and it was too hard to turn down.' Downes also had seven birdies in his 66 before he was joined in the lead by former Irish Boys panelist Buchanan, who claimed his first Senior win last year when he won the Ulster Men's Strokeplay at Clandeboye. He had never played Lahinch until this week and he made it look like child's play in a light northwest wind as he birdied the second and hit a nine-iron close at the sixth before adding further birdies at the 11th, 12th and 13th. He three-putted the 14th from the front of the green but birdied the 17th to get to five under before failing to get up and down from just short of the 18th, missing a six footer for a 65. 'I was actually really happy with it,' said Buchanan, who had only played Lahinch's opening six holes on TrackMan before his arrival in west Clare and could not have asked for a better debut. 'I left a few putts out there but pI played very solid. 'I only missed one green, and when I missed it, I was like an inch off it. So that makes life a lot easier. Maybe missed three fairways and my only bogey was a three-putt.' Sean Downes in action at Lahinch. Pic:©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo His flighted six-iron to eight feet into the wind at the short 11th wowed his playing partners but even after a hot start, he's not heaping expectations on his shoulders. 'The goal is to make the cut,' he said. 'It would bench to get a run to the quarters or semis but we will take it as it comes." Downes and Buchanan lead by a shot from Westport's Conor Stapleton and former Irish Close champion Quentin Carew from Castleknock Golf Club, who is also taking it one day at a time. The 34-year-old Dublin-based Garda made eight birdies in his five-under 67 with five of those birdies coming in his last six holes. 'I am trying to get a bit more family time this year but the game is coming back,' Carew said after making four birdies in a row from the 12th and adding another at the par-five 18th. 'Coming into this, I hadn't played for two weeks after being on holidays, just hit a few balls. It's good in a way because you come in feeling more relaxed and have fewer expectations. 'This is the championship that everyone looks forward to because of the venue, the course and the views. Nobody is in bad form and even if fellas get knocked out, nobody goes home.' After going out in two-under with a bogey at the Dell, Carew bogeyed the 10th and 11th before storming back with that late birdie run. Dundalk's Caolan Rafferty, champion in 2018, was in a big group on three-under after a 69 but it was harder work for some of the other leading lights. Warrenpoint's Colm Campbell, who was champion two years ago, shot a three-over 75 while last year's runner-up, Millicent's Brian Doran, signed for a 79. It also was a mixed day for some of the veterans in the field. While Ballybunion's Peter Sheehan shot 78 in his 40th consecutive appearance in the event, Robbie Cannon shot 70, Pat Murray a 71 and Joe Lyons a 73 in one of the more experienced threeballs on the course while Douglas' Karl Bornemann carded a 72.
