National Underage Matchplay Preview - By John Manning
2025 semi-finalist Fionn McMonagle won the play-off to lift the Eugene McCarthy Cup back in August. The Deerpark player will be one of the favourites for the All-Ireland Matchplay title as he contests Saturday’s Strokeplay qualifying round alongside his clubmate, the recent National Inter-County runner-up Daniel Quinlan and Fermoy’s Benjamin Dunlea, a 2025 National Inter-County silver medallist.
That’s in Wave 1 while Wave 2 features Conor Ronan (Fermoy), who tied with Fionn McMonagle at Bruff, having been Under-13 champion in 2025. Conor’s playing partners are three-time Munster Strokeplay bronze medallist and Scratch Cup specialist Aodhan O’Halloran (Deerpark) along with Listowel’s Thomas Keane.
Reigning National Under-13 Strokeplay champion Eoin Barrett (Listowel), the silver medallist in that championship, Jack Murphy (Fermoy) and Jack’s clubmate Leon Hogan (who took third place in the Under-16 Strokeplay championship at Bruff recently) all play in Session 2 while National Under-13 Strokeplay bronze medal winner, Kilbeggan’s Ben Gorman, is drawn in Session 1.
2025 National Strokeplay runner-up, Portmarnock’s Enda Hayden, reached the last four of the Plate at neighbouring St. Bridget’s two years back and will have his eye on bigger things this time round having lifted the Leinster Strokeplay title earlier this season.
Following his Leinster Matchplay success at Trim, 2025 runner-up Harry Concannon (Gowran) is back for another tilt at the national title as is National Inter-County gold medallist Cillian Corcoran (Fermoy), who got to the All-Ireland semi-finals twelve months ago.
Aaron Seery (Kilbeggan) will bid to progress from a National Boys Matchplay Plate last four performance at Fermoy last year while Gowran’s Dara Leamy has been a Leinster Inter-County runner-up with Kilkenny.
Hugh O’Brien (Bagenalstown) was part of Carlow’s 2025 National Inter-County championship winning quartet and was second to Enda Hayden in the recent provincial Under-16 Strokeplay at Royal Meath.
Hugo Gibbons (Portmarnock) and Luke Blake (Lucan) both captured 2026 Leinster Inter-County honours with Dublin.
Eoghan Morrissey won the 2024 All-Ireland Matchplay Plate having reached the 2023 semi-finals. The Gowran youngster was a 2024 Inter-County silver medallist in the black and amber of Kilkenny.
Adam Doran (Trim) and Lacken’s Charlie Shore contested the Leinster Matchplay Plate decider in June with victory going to the Meath player.
James Keogh (Ryston) was a Leinster Inter-County winner in 2022 with Kildare at Seapoint and a provincial Plate finalist the following year at Gowran while ESB’s Aaron Corcoran won the 2025 Cork Under-13 Matchplay championship.
Reigning Leinster Under-13 Strokeplay champion Emmet Devine (Collinstown) will fancy his chances as will Tyler O'Neill (Glenville) and Daniel McCabe (Collinstown) who followed Devine home at Royal Meath in that provincial Strokeplay event.
Benny Moran (Crosshaven) has impressed in the Cork colours at provincial and national Inter-County level in addition to Juvenile Scratch Cups while Deerpark’s Fionn O’Callaghan picked-up a provincial Strokeplay bronze medal in 2025.
E.S.B.’s Killian Kelleher was Munster Under-13 Strokeplay runner-up while Sean Keane (Listowel) reached the provincial Matchplay Plate final.
Christopher Quigley (Larkspur Park) scored an impressive 101 to be Fermoy Under-13 Scratch Cup runner-up.
All of the principals from the recent National Girls Strokeplay championship are in the Athgarvan field.
Impressive winner at Bruff a few weeks ago, Sarah Ryan (Tipperary Hills) will seek the double and a third consecutive Matchplay crown from Group 2, where she will face opposition from 2024 Leinster Strokeplay champion Summer Audah (Portmarnock) and Listowel’s Mary Walsh.
2025 All-Ireland Girls Strokeplay champion Pippa Cuffe reached last year’s final and lifted silver at Bruff. The Kilbeggan girl is challenged in Group 1 by 2026 Strokeplay third-place finisher Shona Griffin (Listowel) and Portmarnock’s Summer Audah, the Irish Under-13 Open runner-up in July.
Athgarvan will host the National Juvenile Matchplay championships for the first time. The excellent Co. Kildare course has previously been the site of the All-Ireland Under-16 Strokeplay tests, in 1982 and in 2020.
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