Salute the Muskerry Champions! Timothy O’ Brien writes.
Munster pennant presentation to the Muskerry Fred Daly winning Team in August 2017 (Top Left)
Zak Collins with Munster under 17 Cup in August 2020 (Top Right)
Fionn Hickey holding Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup aloft August 2018 (Bottom Left)
Jack Egan with the Bruen Memorial Cup in August 2019 (Bottom right)
All achieved thanks to the expertise of coach Fred Twomey, the Muskerry Club PGA Professional.
Muskerry youth teams and individuals have been to the forefront of Munster and Irish golf for some years now, especially the Fred Daly under 18 panels who have brought great honour to the club following heroic performances at various venues around the country.
Their latest exploit was at the Castle Dargan club, Mayo in 2019 when they came so agonizingly close to achieving All-Ireland glory, being denied by a superb Roscommon side in a 19th hole play-off in the very last match.
Muskerry claimed another Munster Pennant in August 2019, they won the Munster Final of the Fred Daly Trophy in Clonmel. This was their second win in three years, having reached the final in 2017, 2018 and 2019. This year marks the third of a three year cycle with the current players, and four of the team who were beaten in last years final returned this year to win in style.
Muskerry Fred Daly Team 2019
From Left: Fred Twomey PGA Coach, Peter O’Riordan, Jack Egan, Max O’Leary , Zak Collins, Eoghan O’Shaughnessy, Fionn Hickey and Stephen Riordan.
Fionn Hickey
In a further recognition of the Muskerry boys’ performances, Fionn Hickey’s exploits over the year gained him selection on the Irish team for the Home International series.
Fionn in his International blazer for the Home Countries series.
And Fionn did very well on his international debut. The call-up came as no surprise, of course, as he had performed with distinction in the various boys championships; he was a winner of two senior scratch cups and, besides was tops in the under 17 category in the national championship.
Other highlights of Fionn’s career were his nomination by the Munster G.U.I. as the province’s young player of the year for 2019. He is pictured here with Mallow’s James Sugrue, the British Amateur champion, winner of the senior category award and a young man of considerable talent.
Zak Collins
Muskerry’s Zak Collins, pictured after winning the Munster Close under 17 title following the provincial competition played at West Waterford in 2020.
Jack Egan
Jack Egan, Muskerry, winner of the Bruen Memorial in 2019 and Fionn Hickey made it back to back Muskerry wins with a great performance in 2020.
The Bruen Memorial competition was inaugurated in 1986 to mark the golden jubilee of James Bruen’s triumph in the British Boys Championship in 1936 when he represented Muskerry.
Fred Twomey, the Muskerry Club PGA Professional Coach to the Munster winning Fred Daly Team
Fred is the GUI MUNSTER High Performance Lead Coach. . Twomey is acknowledged as one of the best teaching professionals in the country, working with beginners, high handicappers and elite amateurs.