The magnificent links at Lahinch, home of the South of Ireland Championship.Traditionally one of the great sporting fixtures of the year, the South of Ireland Amateur Open got underway at Lahinch today with just one of the recently selected Irish Home International side in the draw.

While there is still a quality field in action, West Waterford’s Gary Hurley is the only member of the 11-man Irish Senior squad to make the trip to Co Clare, where he will face Cork’s John Hickey in Sunday’s second round.

The event, which boasts past champions of the calibre of Paul McGinley, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke, clashes with the English, Welsh and Scottish Close Championships, diluting its importance it terms of the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

It would be a major surprise of anyone from the R&A selection committee makes the trip to the southwest for a tournament that has been undermined in recent years by the highly concentrated fixtures list.

Lahinch appears to be reulctant to move to another date which puts the onus on the GUI and the provincial branches to agree on a new formula that can help maintain the integrity of the oldest of the four provincial championships, which was first contested in 1895.

With the Interprovincial matches decided in favour of Munster already this week, there is little reason for the cream of Irish amateur golf to turn up for the South with the European Individual Amateur Open taking place at Carton House in two weeks followed by the Home Internationals.

As a result, they haven’t.

Despite the absence of the bigger names, the athmopshere will be a wonderful as ever and hte title will still be bitterly disputed with Pat Murray of Limerick determined to etch his name on the famous old trophy. The Tipperary native takes on Royal Dublin’s Liam Hutchinson in today’s second while 2007 runner up Joe Lyons will meet Forrest Little’s Eoin Arthurs following his one hole first round win over two-time West of Ireland champion Niall Goulding.

Former winners Robbie Cannon, Simon Ward and John Greene will also be gunning for more silverware alongside the likes of last year’s runner up Andrew Hogan. Then there’s a whole host of quality players -  Dessie Morgan, Niall Gorey, Matt McAlpin, Gary McDermott, Steffan O’Hara, Geoff Lenehan and Stephen Healy, to name but a few, not to mention multiple championship winner Eddie Power.

South of Ireland 2012

At Lahinch Golf Club, Co Clare

Sun 29th July 2012

Second round

Match No/Time Sunday 29th July 2012

1. 7.00 am Simon Ward (Co Louth) v Greg Mungovan (Headfort)

2. 7.09 am Mathew McClean (Balmoral) v Mark Richard (Carton House)

3. 7.18 am Conor Casey (Neshanic Valley) v Steffan O’Hara (Co Sligo)

4. 7.27 am Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) v Colm O’Sullivan (Fota Island)

5. 7.36 am Barry Anderson (Co Sligo/NUIM) v Richard Walsh (Kilkenny)

6. 7.45 am Sean Cannon (Loughrea) v Stephen Dwyer (Lucan)

7. 7.54 am Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) v Paul O’Neill (Shannon)

8. 8.03 am Niall Gorey (Muskerry) v Declan McInerney (Lahinch)

9. 8.12 am Des Morgan (Mullingar) v Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry)

10. 8.21 am Ian Brennan (Greenore) v Declan Loftus (Castlebar)

11. 8.30 am Jonathan Yates (Naas) v Billy McGarry (Birr)

12. 8.39 am Gavin McKenna (Fortwilliam) v David Finn (Mallow)

13. 8.48 am Ciaran Molloy (Ardee) v Kevin O’Leary (Waterford Castle)

14. 8.57 am Eugene Smith (Ardee) v Gerard Dunne (Seapoint)

15. 9.06 am Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) v Damien Coyne (Tuam)

16. 9.15 am Aaraon Grant (Dundalk) v William Russell (Clandeboye)

17. 9.24 am Conor Glynn (Carton House) v Stephen Loftus (Lahinch)

18. 9.33 am Sean Barry (Muskerry) v Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen)

19. 9.42 am Michael Durcan (Co Sligo) v Evan Long (Thurles)

20. 9.51 am Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) v James P McLaughlin (Portumna)

21. 10.00 am Simon Bryan (Delgany) v Paddy Delaney (Arklow)

22. 10.09 am Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) v Eddie Power (Kilkenny)

23. 10.18 am Michael O’Kelly (Limerick) v David Lally (Mullingar)

24. 10.27 am Andrew Hogan (Newlands) v Adam Doran (Ardee)

25. 10.36 am Aaron Kearney (Castlerock) v Jon Foran (Thurles)

26. 10.45 am Shane Hogan (Nenagh) v Emmet Leahy (Cahir Park)

27. 10.54 am Mark King (Cregmore Park) v Harry Coyne (Carton House)

28. 11.03 am Roy Connelly (Rathsallagh) v Pio O’Leary (Lucan)

29. 11.12 am Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) v Ronan Maher (Nenagh)

30. 11.21 am Brendan Walton (The Island) v Liam Ashby (Killerig)

31. 11.30 am Kieran Cunnane (Woodstock) v Peter Sheehan (Ballybunion)

32. 11.39 am Pat Murray (Limerick) v Liam Hutchinson (The Royal Dublin)

33. 11.48 am Gary Hurley (West Waterford/NUIM) v John Hickey (Cork)

34. 11.57 am Keith Shannon (Greenore) v Noel Pyne (Ennis)

35. 12.06 pm Shane McGlynn (Carton House) v Quentin Carew (Edenderry)

36. 12.15 pm Barry Daly (Edmondstown) v Michael Horan (Birr)

37. 12.24 pm Richard Bridges (Stackstown) v Eoghan Murphy (Cork)

38. 12.33 pm Sean Ryan (The Royal Dublin) v Jeff Hopkins (Skerries)

39. 12.42 pm Tony Cleary (Dromoland) v Conor O’Rourke (Naas)

40. 12.51 pm Gary McDermott (Co Sligo) v Thomas Griffin (Crews Hill)

41. 13.00 pm Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) v Eanna Griffin (Waterford)

42. 13.09 pm Eamonn Haugh (Castletroy) v Ross Kenny (Nass/NUIM)

43. 13.18 pm Gary McGrane (The Royal Dublin) v Edward Stack (Ballybunion)

44. 13.27 pm Colin Fairweather (Knock) v Cian Daly Castletroy)

45. 13.36 pm Gary Collins (Rosslare) v David Byrne (Athenry)

46. 13.45 pm John A Moran (Charleville) v Alan McAuley (Ardee)

47. 13.54 pm Ian O’Rourke (Cork) v Paul McCarthy (Mallow)

48. 14.03 pm Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock) v Ian Lynch (Rosslare)

49. 14.12 pm Gary Walsh (Mt Juliette) v Jack Pierse (Grange)

50. 14.21 pm Shaun O’Connor (Skerries) v Ian Spillane (Mallow)

51. 14.30 pm Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass) v Tony O’Leary (Wexford)

52. 14.39 pm Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) v Paul O’Hara (Kilkenny)

53. 14.48 pm Mark Shanahan (Castlemartyr) v Shane Smyth (Co Louth)

54. 14.57 pm Stephen Healy (Claremorris) v Davey Barry (Mahon)

55. 15.06 pm Mark Mullen (Wexford) v David Holland (Castle)

56. 15.15 pm Jack Hume (Rathsallagh) v Bryan Ronan (Co Louth)

57. 15.24 pm Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) v Joe Lyons (Birr)

58. 15.33 pm Shaun Carter (Stackstown/NUIM) v Greg Carew (Edenderry)

59. 15.42 pm Stephen Moloney (Castletroy) v Paul Cullen (Royal Tara)

60. 15.51 pm Kieran Kennedy (Thurles) v Lee McMillan (Blessington Lakes)

61. 16.00 pm Ciaran McKenna (Mallow) v Robert Farrell (New Ross)

62. 16.09 pm Rick Weldon (Kileen Castle) v Ross O’Sullivan (Cobh)

63. 16.18 pm Gavin Smyth (Clonmel) v Liam Harnett (Milltown)

64. 16.27 pm John Greene (Portmarnock/NUIM) v Alan Purdy (Ballyclare)

Saturday 28th July

First round

First Quarter

Greg Mungovan (Headfort) bt Padhraic O’Brien (Co Louth) 19th,

Mark Richards (Carton Hse) bt Michael Buggy (Castlecomer) 2H,

Steffan O’Hara (Co Sligo) bt Ian O’Flynn (Cork) 3/2,

Colm O’Sullivan (Fota Island) bt John Kavanagh (Castletroy) 4/3,

Richard Walsh (Kilkenny) bt Eoghan O’Donovan (Craddocktown) 3/2,

Stephen Dwyer (Lucan) bt Darragh O’Sullivan (Strandhill) 2/1,

Paul O’Neill (Shannon) bt Sean Moran (Carton House) 19^th,

Declan McInerney (Lahinch) bt Alan O’Regan (Golf Club of Georgia) 6/5,

Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry) bt Graham Nugent (Kilkenny) 1H, 

Declan Loftus (Castlebar) bt David Murray (Skerries) 19th,  

Billy McGarry (Birr) bt Eoin McGuinness (East Clare) 5/4,

David Finn (Mallow) bt Niall McGlynn (Carton House) 3/2,

Kevin O’Leary (Waterford Castle) bt Stephen Egan (Castle Barna) 19^th,

Gerard Dunne (Seapoint) bt John O’Neill (Lee Valley) 6/4

Damien Coyne (Tuam) bt Liam Mulligan (Stackstown) 4/3,

William Russell (Clandeboye) bt Michael Brett (Portmarnock) 2H

 

Second Quarter

Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Keagan Cummings (Elm Park) 4/3,

Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen) bt Stephen McCarthy (Waterford Castle) 6/5,

Evan Long (Thurles) bt Mark Ryan (Grange) 2/1,

James P McLoughlin (Portumna) bt Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) 3/1,

Paddy Delaney (Arklow) bt Tristan O’Rourke (Nenagh) 2/1,

Eddie Power (Kilkenny) bt Gary Shaw (Mullingar) 5/4,

David Lally (Mullingar) bt Jonathan Webster (Castle) 3/2,

Adam Doran (Ardee) bt Ronan Burke (Castle) 6/5,

Jon Foran (Thurles) bt Ronan Purcell (Clonmel) 5/4,

Emmet Leahy (Cahir Park) bt Jamie Rothwell (Curragh) 8/7,  

Harry Coyne (Carton House) bt Bryan McSweeney (Woodbrook) 3/1,

Pio O’Leary (Lucan) bt Andrew Kelly (Muskerry) 2/1,

Ronan Maher (Nenagh) bt Ciaran Dunphy (Killeen Castle) 4/2,

Liam Ashby (Killerig) bt Barry Fennelly (The Royal Dublin) 3/2,

Peter Sheehan (Ballybunion) bt Chris Drumm (Rosslare) 2/1,

Liam Hutchinson (The Royal Dubin) bt Alan Meskell (Tipperary) 2/1

 

Third Quarter

John Hickey (Cork) bt Ryan O’Dwyer (Callen) 2/1,

Noel Pyne (Ennis) bt Bob Loftus (Ennis) 1H,

Quentin Carew (Edenderry) bt Mark Reck (Lucan) 2/1,

Michael Horan (Birr) bt Gregory Harden (Onondaga USA) 4/3, 

Eoghan Murphy (Cork) bt Pat Lyons (Cork) 1H,

Jeff Hopkins (Skerries) bt Liam Doran (Ardee) 5/4,

Conor O’Rourke (Naas) bt Eoin O’Connor (Elm Park) 1H,

Thomas Griffin (Crews Hill) bt Thomas Neenan (Lahinch) 3/2,

Eanna Griffin (Waterford) bt Derek Downie (Sutton) 3/2

Ross Kenny (Naas) bt Brian Attridge (Mallow) 1H,

Edward Stack (Ballybunion) bt Barry V Reddan (Co Louth) 19^th,

Cian Daly (Castletroy) bt Albert Shanahan (Charleville) 2/1,

David Byrne (Athenry) bt Mark Morrissey (Mt Wolseley) 19th,

Alan McAuley (Ardee) bt John Reynolds (Dungarvan) 2/1,

Paul McCarthy (Mallow) bt Sean O’Connor (Carton House) 1H

Ian Lynch (Rosslare) bt John Waldron (Muskerry) 5/4,

 

Fourth Quarter

Jack Pierse (Grange) bt Eoin Doohan (Dundalk) 4/3,

Ian Spillane (Mallow) bt Darragh Burke (Nenagh) 6/5,

Tony O’Leary (Wexford) bt Ross McCormack (Naas) 2/1,

Paul O’Hara (Kilkenny) bt Arthur Pierse Jnr (Tipperary) 19^th,

Shane Smyth (Co Louth) bt Gary Brett (Ballinrobe) 2H,

Davey Barry (Mahon) bt Darren O’Sullivan (Youghal) 2/1,

Daniel Holland (Castle) bt Thomas Fay (Rush) 2/1,

Bryan Ronan (Co Louth) bt Ed Hickey (Shannon) 5/4,

Joe Lyons (Birr) bt Niall Goulding (Portmarnock) 1H,

Greg Carew (Edenderry) bt Eoin O’Brien (Dun Laoghaire) 4/3,

Paul Cullen (Royal Tara) bt Colum Kenny (Curragh) 5/4,

Lee McMillan (Blessington Lakes Golf Club) bt Mark O’Rourke (Royal Tara) 1H,

Robert Farrell (New Ross) bt Patrick Neville (Athenry) 4/3,

Ross O’Sullivan (Cobh) bt Enda Craddock (Gort) 1h,

Liam Harnett (Miltown) bt Philip Spratt (West Waterford) 21st

Alan Purdy (Ballyclare) bt Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) 7/6