Cobh Golf Club celebrate landmark run to All-Ireland final

Cobh Golf Club enjoyed a landmark weekend in Ennis as their Pierce Purcell panel were in All Ireland action. 

The team produced a brilliant semi‑final victory on Friday before falling just short in Saturday’s All‑Ireland decider. 

It was a campaign that captured the spirit of the club, with strong travelling support spurring on the team.

Cobh had previously won their quarter final in Ennis at the end of August when they beat Moyola Park. 

They returned to Ennis last Friday to take on six‑time champions Nenagh, a side steeped in experience at this level.

Robert Lynch and Shane Martin won the second match for Cobh and the overall score was tied at 2-2 when Des Connolly and Stephen Mulcahy won on the 18th green. 

Lynch and Martin were nominated for the sudden death playoff and the pair sealed the win on the first play-off hole. 

There was a huge cheer from the large number of supporters who battled the heavy rain to cheer on their team.

The win booked Cobh’s place in Saturday’s All‑Ireland final and marked one of the club’s finest competitive achievements in recent years. 

Both the supporters and players endured atrocious weather conditions in Ennis on Friday, but they were through to an All-Ireland final.

Saturday’s final brought a formidable challenge from their opponents Portumna, who were also chasing their first national Pierce Purcell title. Despite Cobh’s determined start, Portumna’s top pairing delivered an important 4&2 win, and their depth across the board proved decisive. Portumna claimed the required points for a 3–1 victory to claim the All‑Ireland pennant.

Though the final result stung, Cobh’s journey will be remembered by the club, making it to the final from the 360 clubs who entered from across the country. 

The team manager was Michael Byrne, assisted by Christy Ahern and Mark O'Connell and the full panel was Tom Moore and Diarmuid O'Leary, Robert Lynch and Shane Martin, Ross McAuliffe and Stephen Corr, Stephen Mulcahy and Des Connolly, and subs Stephen Moore, Patrick Sweeney, Patrick Hamilton and Michael Phelan.

The last of the All-Ireland finals take place this weekend and unfortunately there is no involvement for Cork Clubs. 

Doneraile and East Cork went to Westmanstown two weeks ago for the Flogas Mixed Foursomes quarter finals but both lost out. 

That will bring to an end the national Inter-club competitions for 2026, with Douglas and Kanturk the only Cork clubs to claim all Ireland wins.

James Walsh won his first senior scratch cup on Sunday when he ended up on top of a competitive leaderboard in Dundalk. 

The Maynooth student who’s now in his third year on the Harrington Scholars programme shot an opening 66 (-6) to lead by three shots from Irish internationals Caolan Rafferty and Colm Campbell. 

Walsh followed that with a second round 71 to finish on seven under. Rafferty, a multiple winner of this competition could only better Walsh by one shot and the Kinsale man was the winner by two shots. 

His win was particularly impressive given that the top ten as full of internationals and major winners.

Walsh is off to Sweden this week for the Swedish International Mens Championship. 

This is the second event on the Maynooth calendar and Walsh will be looking to continue his form after finishing in 21st place at the Bernard Langer German Men’s event which took place earlier this month.

It was a busy weekend for scratch cups. Fermoy held their annual John Whyte Memorial scratch cup and Cork’s Brian Kelleher came out on top with a level par 72 for his round. 

Kelleher had one shot to spare over Lee Valley’s Darren Hourihan and Fermoy’s Sean Coughlan. Conor Ronan (Fermoy) was fourth with a 74.

Doneraile held their Senior Scratch on Sunday and the winner was David Lane from Muskerry who shot a level par 68 around the tricky nine hole course. 

Lane needed a better back nine to take the top spot from Jack Heffernan (Kanturk). Robbie Walsh took third place with a 68 and Jim O’Keeffe won the nett prize.

There was disappointment for Fermoy and Doneraile as they both lost out in the semi-finals of the Vincent Nevin Trophy. 

Fermoy finished second best to Thurles in the Munster East final in Carrick on Suir on Saturday. In Kilrush on Sunday, Doneraile lost out to Ballykisteen in the Munster West final.

East Cork are in action in the Revive Active Fourball at Castlemartyr this weekend where they will play Templemore. 

Fota Island are also in action in Castlemartyr, they will play Thurles in the Michael Cashman.