Sport

The future of Irish golf: Coaching panels unveiled

Golf

The Golfing Union of Ireland has drawn up preparations for the future of golf in Ireland with coaching panels throughout country and various age panels of players, plus Development squads, named for all four provinces in the coming year, writes Tony McGee.

One of the busiest players looks like Holywood teenager Tom McKibbin who has been hitting the headlines in recent months following on from a highly successful time in boys' golf.

McKibbin has been included in both the national senior panel and the Ulster U18 squad so serving both masters will leave schoolboy Tom with a busy schedule to work in with his studies.

Apart from the Holywood protégé, Ulster have only three players named in the national men's panel with Matthew McClean (Malone) joined by Tiernán McLarnon (Massereene) and Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), the last two, of course, seasoned Irish players by now.

McLarnons's club is, also, well represented among the coaches named to help young players along in the foreseeable future, at Greenmount.

Ewan McArthur will be involved with the U18s, Harvey McCabe will be part of the U16s build up with Michael Wilson and Scott McCabe helping the U14s.

Massereene's Jamie McArthur is part of the National U16s preparations so the Antrim town club is supplying quite a few coaches to youth golf in Ireland.

See www.irishnews.com for names of all those selected on the National Panels

Senior - Robert Brazill (Naas), Ronan Mullarney (Galway), Matthew McClean (Malone), Keith Egan (Carton House), Conor Purcell (Portmarnock), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), James Sugrue (Mallow), Sean Flanagan (Portmarnock), Tiarnán McLarnon (Massereene), Tom McKibbin (Holywood), Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), John Murphy (Kinsale), Mark Power (Kilkenny), Rowan Lester (Hermitage), Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas), Eanna Griffin (Waterford)

U18 - Josh Black (Lisburn), Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass), Robert Galligan (Elm Park), Fionn Hickey (Muskerry), Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle), Dylan Keating (Seapoint), Joshua McCabe (Roganstown), Tom McKibbin (Holywood), Sam Murphy (Portumna), Robert Walsh (Kinsale)

U16 - Adam Challoner (Galway Bay), Zak Collins (Muskerry), Luke Cunningham (Galway Bay), Fionn Dobbin (Malone), Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park), Alex King (Faithlegg), Lucas Lyons (Limerick), Sean McLoughlin (Co. Sligo), Aiden O'Carroll (Powerscourt), Gavin O'Neill (Malahide), Morgan O'Sullivan (Ballyneety)

Ulster Coaching Centre - Greenmount

U18 - Aaron Blair (Scrabo), Ross Campbell (Greenacres), Robbie Davidson (Knock), Luke Kelly (Belvoir Park), Ewan McArthur (Massereene), Keaton Morrison (Greenacres), Bailey Wilson (Warrenpoint)

U16 - Kaeden Anderson (Galgorm Castle), Noah Bickerstaff (Massereene), Adam Buchanan (Malone), Max Carson (Royal Belfast), Harvey McCabe (Massereene), Corey Scullion (Moyola Park), Johnny Strang (Royal Portrush), James T Sweeney (Dunfanaghy)

U14 - Thompson Gedge (Bangor), Scott McCabe (Massereene), Stewart Nesbitt (Hilton Templepatrick), Charlie Smyth (Slieve Russell), Michael Wilson (Massereene)

Ulster Regional Coaching

Centres – Blackwood, Galgorm Castle, Greenacres, Lurgan, Newcastle, Roe Park, Slieve Russell,

U16 - Sam Allister (Belvoir Park), Matthew Burns (Ardglass), Joel Flynn (Hilton Templepatrick), Luke Hamilton (Belvoir Park), Conal Keenan (Balmoral), Taylor Morrison (Greenacres), Jamie McArthur (Massereene), Josh McKee (Antrim), Adam McLaughlin (Moyola Park), Tom McMaster (Royal Portrush), Archie McMinnis (Royal Belfast), Oscar Murphy (Omagh), Tyler Neary (Castle Hume), Jamie Nevin (Holywood), Josh Nicholl (Ballymena), Joseph O'Sullivan (Malone), Elliot Reid (Lisburn), Micheal Rocks (Lisburn), Conor Toner (Mourne), Shea Williamson (Lurgan).

U14 – Rory Adamson (Royal Belfast), Jenson Boyce (Hilton Templepatrick), Evan Carlisle (Greenacres), Conor Colhoun (Roe Park), Charlie Collins (Rockmount), George Craigan (Malone), Garett Daly-Shaw (Holywood), Liam Doherty (Ballyliffin), Linton Donaghy (Moyola Park), Finn Eager (Royal Belfast), Conail Fitzsimons (St Patrick's), Lewis Flynn (Hilton Templepatrick), Charlie Haldane (Royal Belfast), Jack Harper (Portstewart), Ben Law (Royal Belfast), Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint), Ben McCord (Helen's Bay), Eoin McCourt (Tandragee), Alex McGoldrick (Rathmore), Joel McKimm (Holywood), Ben Miller (Royal Belfast), Oliver O'Hara (Helen's Bay), Fergal O'Neil (Moyola Park), Rafael Poli (Holywood), Sean Ryan (Warrenpoint), Ben Watson (Greenisland)

Development Squad– Noah Beggs (Royal Portrush), Tiernan Bradley (Buncrana), Rory Brown (Castlerock), Eoin Burrows (Balmoral), Niall Coleman (Lurgan), Jack Conroy (Belvoir Park), Senan Devlin (Warrenpoint), Adam Doherty (Balmoral), Harris Fleming (Castlerock), Paul Fletcher (Rathmore), Oliver Gartley (Holywood), Noah Hallowell (Lisburn), Noah Heaney (Lurgan), Cole Henderson (Killymoon), Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park), Charlie Hopkins (Royal Belfast), Jacob Jones (Greenisland), David Lyttle (Newtownstewart), Ollie McAvoy (Ballycastle), Noah McBurney (Royal Belfast), Adam McCaul (Ballyliffin), Matthew McClean (Cairndhu), Lewis McGarry (Ballymena), Jacob McIlhatton (Rockmount), Daniel McKinstry (Lurgan), Finn O'Hara (Helen's Bay), Harry O'Hara (Clandeboye), Tomas Owens (Massereene), Evan Pepper (Lurgan), Josh Punnoose (Antrim), Rory Stewart (Lisburn), Cale Surgenor (Cairndhu).

Rugby

Jonathan Davies and Rhys Patchell both need surgery after sustaining injuries at the Rugby World Cup and face lengthy spells on the sidelines.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced the news in a statement, with Davies set to be out for more than six months because of a left knee injury suffered against Fiji.

Centre Davies missed the quarter-final against France but returned for the semi-final against South Africa and the third-place play-off against New Zealand, playing the full game both times.

However, he was not as influential as normal and it has now been revealed that the injury he sustained is a serious one.

Fly-half Patchell suffered his shoulder injury against the All Blacks and is touch and go for the Six Nations, with his recovery time estimated to be between 12 and 16 weeks.

Wales play their first match against Italy on February 1, with their final clash on March 14 against Scotland in Cardiff.

Wales were without first-choice fly-half Gareth Anscombe for the entirety of the World Cup after he suffered a serious knee injury, and he will also miss the Six Nations.