Here’s another game of Maurice Kennefick’s (missing up to now from the ICU games archive) from the inaugural West of Ireland Open in 1976. (This series of events was held in Galway from 1976 to around 1980.)
CHESS (Sutton Coldfield) had a report (vol. 41 (nos. 749-750), July 1976, pp. 337-8):
“The enterprise of Galway’s Frank Monaghan initiated an open week-end six rounder in Galway, May 21-23.
After 3 rounds E. Keogh and A. T. Ludgate, joint Irish champions, led on 100% together with J. J. Walsh and E. Hall. Keogh then beat Hall to take over sole leadership because Walsh and Ludgate drew. Keogh kept the lead by beating D. Flannery in rd. 5, but blundered to lose in rd. 6 letting Ludgate, Hall, and J. F. Gibson into a quadruple tie with him for first place.
“Over 50” competed.”
The report had all or part of six games. One of these was David Flannery (Cork) versus Kennefick.
“Before the game Flannery stated that he had never beaten Kennefick. The controller told him this was his chance: “Maurice may be a big name in Cork chess—but nobody knows him here in Galway!”
Position after 21… Qxc6
In the diagrammed position White is completely tied up. The immediate problem is that 22… d5 will win the knight, and there seems to be no good way to meet the threat. The continuation was 22. c3 bxc3 23. bxc3 d5 24. Rc1 (‘?’ CHESS, without suggesting an alternative) 24… dxe4 25. dxe4?! (but 25. cxd4 Nxg3 26. hxg3 Bxd4+ is also hopeless) 25… Nxg3 (25… Qxe4 26. cxd4 Nxd4 is even more convincing) 26. hxg3 Ne6, and Black duly converted his material advantage.