O'Callaghan wins Intermediate Scratch Cup as Curran claims minor title

Fergus O’Callaghan produced the round of his life to win the 2024 Dundalk Intermediate Scratch Cup sponsored by Captain Ultan Herr and Deborah Herr.

He shot a four over par 76 to win by two shots from Sean Matthews and three from John Paul Casey with all three shooting in the seventies.
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O’Callaghan, whose form, by his own admission, had been indifferent in recent week, turned it on when it really mattered. He opened with two pars followed by two bogies and a par at the par-three fifth before recording the first of his birdies at the par five sixth.

Two more pars followed before a bogey on the ninth saw him turn in two over par 38.  Pars at the 10th and 12th and a bogey at the 11th followed before another birdie arrived at the par three 13th. After parring 14 and 15, O’Callaghan bogeyed 16 and 17 before clinching victory with a par on the last as he came home in 38 for an overall of 78.

Matthews was just as steady going out in 39 and home in 39 with those two extra bogies the difference between him and O’Callaghan.

Vincent Jackson (14) took the nett prize with a 66 while Paul O’Callaghan had a hole in one when he nailed his seven iron tee shot at the 13th.

Billy Curran won the Minor Scratch Cup which was also sponsored by Captain Ultan and Deborah Herr. He shot 85 after going in out in 40 thanks to four pars and a birdie on the ninth. He came home in 45 despite starting the back nine with two double bogeys but steadying the ship with three successive pars from the 13th.

​Curran had one shot to spare after a back surge by Patrick Clarke came up one shot short.

After managing just one par on the front nine as he went out in 48, Clarke charged down the back nine and recorded one birdie and six pars as he came home in 38 for an 86 and second overall with Conor McClenaghan a shot further back in third. Robert McCaughey (21) shot 67 to win the Nett Prize.

Saturday, July 6 – Intermediate Scratch Cup sponsored by Captain Ultan and Deborah Herr – Overall: Fergus O'Callaghan 76, Sean Matthews 78, John Paul Casey 79. Nett: Vincent Jackson (14) 66.

Saturday, July 6 – Minor Scratch Cup sponsored by Captain Ultan and Deborah Herr – Overall:  Billy Curran 85, Patrick Clarke 86, Conor McClenaghan 87. Nett: Robert McCaughey (21) 67.