Brian Keogh
The K Club seized the moment and defeated south Armagh club Ashfield 4-1 in the final of the 2026 Carton Cup.
Played over the front nine of the O’Meara Course at Carton House, and sponsored by Lyons Financial Services, it was a sweet victory for The K Club, who were narrowly beaten in the semi-final last year.
For Ashfield, a small club with just 37 lady members, simply being there was already historic as it was their first-ever Inter-Club final.
The final itself was built on a strong performance by The K Club.
Jean Hourigan edged Angela Hall 1 up, while Miriam Halford and Valerie Melinn both won 5&4, against Mary Murphy and Ashleen Keerly respectively.
Sharon Coventry’s match against Patricia McConville was called in, as was Sarah Kirk’s encounter with Nuala Murtagh.
The K Club had come through a tense semi-final against Abbeyleix, winning 3-2, while Ashfield booked their place with a 4-1 victory over Cahir Park.
That set up an afternoon final, and a moment The K Club had been waiting for.
The Carton Cup is the brainchild of Róisín Lyons, former Lady Captain of Carton House.
While serving as vice-captain in 2019 and planning her year as Lady Captain, she noticed there was no Inter-Club event catering for women with handicaps of 36 or more.
“You set your diary, and you go, ‘Okay, what am I going to achieve in the year?’” Lyons recalled. “We were planning all the inter-club matches and we had to enter €50 for each one in September, October and November, and there was nothing catering for those over 36 handicap.”
The event was first played in 2020 with just eight teams. It grew to 32 teams by 2022 and it has now become an important part of the golfing calendar.
It is a nine-hole singles matchplay competition for teams of five, with players ordered by handicap and matches played to a result.
For Lyons, the success is about more than numbers.
“They just loved to be included,” she said. “Some might have taken up the game a long time ago and gone out to 36, or sometimes they’re newcomers to the game who might have gone in through a Get Into Golf programme, or they might have joined as part of a family membership. Very often, they don’t want to be on that tee box, but when they get there, the golf is fantastic.”
That sense of belonging has had a ripple effect. Players have practised together, arranged evening nine-hole matches and gained the confidence to represent their clubs.
Roll of honour
- 2020 Carton House
- 2021 Carton House
- 2022 Naas
- 2023 Black Bush
- 2024 Headfort
- 2025 Galway Bay
- 2026 The K Club
