Grehan still in the hunt as Offaly golfers make their mark at West of Ireland championship

TWO Offaly golfers did well to make the matchplay stages in one of Ireland's blue-riband amateur events last weekend with Stuart Grehan playing his quarter-final clash on Monday afternoon.

Tullamore native Stuart Grehan and emerging young Rahan golfer, Evan Monaghan both made one of the top 64 places in the two strokeplay qualifying rounds at a typically windswept Rosses Point course, on the coast line not far from Sligo.

Evan Monaghan, above.

Grehan, a former Tullamore Golf Club member, was playing for County Louth Golf Club, Baltray. He enjoyed a tremendously successful amateur career years ago, winning the South and East of Ireland Championships as well as the Irish Youth Championship before turning professional.

He has only recently reverted to amateur ranks after grinding away for a few years on the subsidiary tours in Europe and he has set his sights on making the British and Irish Walker Cup team in the coming years.

Grehan just got through his last 64 first round matchplay showdown, beating Eddie McCormack of Galway Bay on the 19^th hole. He continued his good form in his next outing, beating Jordan Boles of Charleville, 3 and 2 and he went down the 19^th again in his last 16 match before beating his strength and conditioning coach, Robbie Channon of Balbriggan on Monday morning. His quarter-final against James Fox of Portmarnock is teeing off at 1.40pm on Monday and the championship concludes on Tuesday.

Tullamore Golf Club member Evan Monaghan did very well to qualify for the matchplay stages won +11 with rounds of 81 and 72. After finding the going difficult on Thursday, he played some super golf when he needed to in round 2 on Friday, marking down three birdies and four bogeys in a one over par round to get through in 37^th place.

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He battled with everything he had in his first match play outing before losing 3 and 2 to Ross Latimer of Knock. It will, however, be a great learning experience for Monaghan who has really developed his game in recent years. Still a student at Killina Presentation Secondary School, Monaghan has a busy summer schedule lined up.

Stuart Grehan got through a shot behind on +12, hitting a 78 in round 1 and improving to a 76 in round 2.