Lucan Pitch and Putt Club

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Winter League Preview Group A
Posted on 29 Dec '25 at 22:17 by Gary Ryan

This year see's 20 teams challenging for the crown of winter league champions. Some new teams have been formed along with a host of previous teams joining together again to try and take home the top prize. Over the next few days I will be doing previews of all the groups introducing some of the players/teams. Below is a Preview of Group A. - Robbie Mannix, William Scully, Mick Stratford and Breda Palmer. This is a newly formed team that just might have the right handicaps to cause the others some trouble. Robbie has been a massive supporter of all competition and loves matchplay as he is a previous winner of the mixed foursomes back in 2024. Michael is a man who will take a lot of beating on his day and was a previous winner and runner up in the winter leagues. William is a fairly new member who is making his debut in the competition. Breda another fantastic supporter of all competition in the club since joining I know she will be enjoying every match and hoping to take home a few scalps. - Ronnie Guinan, Andy Fitzgerald, Mark Hegarty and Fionna Langan. This is a 2nd year team joining back together again after a great showing last year. Unlucky not to come out of their Group finishing joint 2nd. Ronnie Guinan the 2025 Captains prize winner has been improving massively over the past 2 to 3 years and will be a very hard man to beat as proven in his deep run in the scratch matchplay this year. Andy one of the very few left handers we have in the club, always a hard man to beat on his day. Mark a member of Lucan since 2023 has been steadily improving his game this year and will not be an easy match for anyone. Fionna Langan a very consistent lady who over the years has always performed on the big occasion as shown in her winning the Club Strokeplay twice in the past 3 years along with her Leinster Strokeplay win in 2014. - Gerry Ward, John Murphy, Kevin Ward and Martina Tierney. A well balanced team if their crest is anything to go by and also previous winners. Gerry over the years has been to many finals and performed at the top level both inside and outside the club, winner of the Dublin Gents Strokeplay in 2000. John Murphy has moved into the inter grade and not looked back, a winner of the 2022 President's Prize, John will relish any match he has. Kevin has been a consistent winner throughout the years, Kevin was a runner up in 2017 in the old Club Fourball alongside brother Gerry. Martina has been a prolific winner since she joined Lucan. Martina has won both a Dublin matchplay and Strokeplay between 2021 and 2023 along with back to back Club Handicap Matchplay wins 2024 and 2025. - Tracey Smith, Noel Ryan, Shay Harpur and Evelyn O'Gorman Both Evelyn and Noel were winners of the Winter Leagues previously with a past team can the new faces help them win again. Tracey Smith one of Lucan's finest lady members. Representing the Dublin team now on multiple occasions winning gold in this years National intercounty. Lads be prepared for a tough game. Noel this years Member of the Year has been a previous winner of the winter leagues along with multiple wins in matchplay events namely the old Club fourball which he won with 2 different partners. Shay playing on the team for his 2nd year now was a previous winner of the Club Strokeplay in 2023, so another man who is proven in the big moment. Evelyn has also won the winter leagues before but over the years has been in multiple matchplay finals both doubles and singles but her win in the 2011 Handicap Matchplay and the 2015 Dublin Strokeplay show Evelyn will be out for many a scalp. - Adrienne Kelly, John Kenny, John Kearney and Jackie Kearney. A very new team with 3 new members. Adrienne a previous winner of the Winter leagues in 2017 will spearhead this newly formed team and will be looking to take some scalps along the way to hopefully another win. John is a new member and taking part in his 1st Winter leagues but is a man in form as he just took his 1st win in competition in the last competition of the year. John another new enough member who will enjoy his venture into the Winter fun. Jackie has been improving over her time since joining Lucan which has paid off as she won 2 turkey competitions over October and December so can she help make it a successful January. Group A prediction from Competition Secretary Gary Ryan A group with 2 new teams who I think have the capability to cause some upsets especially with the Handicaps coming into play. Favourites for me would have to be Murphy's Law being previous winners of the competition I think they will be a hard team to beat. I think for this group doubles pairings are going to be particularly important as some teams will have quite big advantages when it comes to the shots. Some family favouritism I have to say the Rhinos will do well or I may not be welcome at home. I think the addition of Tracey Smith will be something that will put this team into the top 2. The Misfits to me will have a massive chance also as I think their performance last year proves this team know how to get some points on the board. With the 2 new teams it is a completely unknown how they will perform but the Handicaps on both teams will bring them into the frame. Prediction Murphy's Law Rhinos Misfits Four Horsemen Teamu