Long wait is over as Tipperary reach finals of the Irish Mail Trophy

Daily Mail
18 Aug 2009

IT’S been a long wait for Tipperary, but the club that was the first Irish men’s team to capture the Daily Mail Foursomes title almost 30 years ago, has now reached the finals of the inaugural Irish Mail All-Ireland Trophy.

Michael Keaty and Liam Rafferty’s thrilling 2&1 win over Adare’s Bernard Duggan and John Hickey means Tipperary will be one of the four men’s teams lining up at the Paul McGinley-designed Macreddin Village course next month for the semi-finals and final of this prestigious new competition.

One person who will be watching with interest for the result from Macreddin will be former All-Ireland hurling star John O’Donoghue, who, along with partner J.P.Butler, was a member of that winning Tipperary foursomes pair in 1980. O’Donoghue was goalkeeper in the formidable Tipperary hurling team in the 1960s and early 1970s, playing behind the "Hell's Kitchen" defence of John Doyle, Michael Maher and Kieran Carey and winning four Munster titles and two All-Ireland titles in 1964 and 1965. He also won a fifth Munster medal and a third All-Ireland medal as a substitute. Still an excellent golfer, O’Donoghue won senior caps for Ireland in 2003 and 2004. Tipperary captain James Ryan said: ‘Sadly J.P.Butler has passed away, but lots of people at the club remember that victory and it would be remarkable if

Tipperary could do the double and win the Irish Mail Trophy in its first year. Our current lads have done really well and we are very proud of them. Michael is the holder of the club matchplay title and Liam won the captain’s prize this summer.’

Also through to the final at Macreddin Village is County Antrim club Greenisland who beat Rockmount 2&1. They will be joined by the winners of the other quarter-final matches: Edenmore v Bundoran and Portarlington v Mannan Castle.

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