A tale of two Stephens and two All-Ireland titles for Tipperary

Tipperary celebrated two national champions in pitch and putt in the past year, with both being chosen for Annerville awards by the Tipperary United Sports Panel.

Stephen O’Reilly from Hillview Sports Club, Clonmel won the All-Ireland Senior Matchplay Championship in St Brigid’s Pitch and Putt Club, Kildare.

In doing so he became only the second-ever Tipperary winner of this event, following in the footsteps of Eoin Morrissey, who was also a member of Hillview, 62 years previously back in 1961.

Stephen beat three Cork players in succession to make sure that the cup finally made its way back to the Premier County. In the final he had a hole-in-one on the ninth hole of the first round and with superb putting in the second round he beat the previous year’s runner-up, John Cahill of Fermoy, by 6 and 5.

Overall the Clonmel player played approximately 200 holes against the best of the best in the difficult conditions posed by a heatwave last June.

Stephen also won the Tipperary Strokeplay and Matchplay championships, and was runner-up in the Larkspur Scratch Cup and the Lakeside Scratch Cup.

Above, right: Stephen Shoer

Meanwhile, Stephen Shoer made a triumphant return from the injury that had ruled him out of the first half of the season.

As well as winning the All-Ireland Senior Strokeplay Championship, he and Stephen O’Reilly were on the Tipperary team that finished runners-up in the inter county championship.

His success in the Strokeplay ensured that he became the first member of the Riverdale club in Nenagh and the first player from Tipperary to win this championship, and the first player to win the championship over his home course in 28 years.

Stephen Shoer added further strings to his bow by winning the Bruff Scratch Cup, the Limerick Masters and the Deerpark Scratch Cup, which showed a consistent run of form throughout the season.

He also maintained his family’s long and proud tradition with the Riverdale club.

The Tipperary Sports Stars of the Year will receive their Annerville awards, sponsored by Bulmers, from the Tipperary United Sports Panel at the Talbot Hotel Clonmel on Saturday night, January 27. Some tickets are still available from Sports Panel Treasurer Ken Conway, tel. 087-6784510.