NEWS FROM IRELAND

Kilkenny win first Senior Cup at 19th

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Eileen Rose Power holed from four feet at the first tie hole to win the Irish Senior Cup for Kilkenny for the first time at Mount Wolseley today.
Tournament favourites Royal Portrush started brightly with Helen Jones defeating Mary Leahy Browne but current international Mary Dowling levelled the tie with her 14th hole victory over Naoimh Quigg.
Royal Portrush edged ahead once again when Maura Diamond edged out Anne Smee but Kilkenny’s Orla Dunphy once again levelled the sides with a 2 and 1 win over Lucy Simpson.
The tie rested with the top pairing of past Irish champion Eileen Rose Power and current international Charlene Reid. Reid squared the match when Power failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker on 17.
Both missed from eight feet on 18 to force extra holes and when Reid’s approach came up short at the first extra hole, Power cooly slotted from four feet across the slope to clinch Kilkenny’s first Senior Cup title.
Earlier in the day, Royal Portrush defeated second seeds Co. Louth in a tight match that saw current Charlene Reid beat experienced past international Deirdre Smith in the top match. Naoimh Quigg defeated Jennifer Gannon on the home green while Carla Reynolds replied for Co. Louth with a 16th hole win over Maura Diamond.
With the penultimate match all square on 18, Lucy Simpson secured the victory for Royal Portrush when Maria Dunne failed to get up and down from off the home green.The second semi-final saw Kilkenny secure four matches against a luckless Laytown and Bettystown.
Eileen Rose Power and current international Mary Dowling notched victories over Alison Taylor and Carol Wickham in the top order.
Orla Dunphy and Anne Smee completed the victory while Phil O’Gorman was about to reply for Laytown and Bettystown before being called in from the 17th fairway with a two-hole advantage.
DETAILS
FINAL
Kilkenny 3, Royal Portrush 2
Eileen Rose Power bt Charlene Reid at 19th.
Mary Dowling bt Naoimh Quigg 6 and 4.
Orla Dunphy bt Lucy Simpson 3 and 1.
Mary Leahy Browne lost to Helen Jones 7 and 6.
Anne Smee lost to Maura Diamond 4 and 2.
SEMI-FINALS
Kilkenny 4 1/2, Laytown & Bettystown 1/2
Eileen Rose Power bt Alison Taylor 6 and 5.
Mary Dowling bt Carol Wickham 2 and 1.
Orla Dunphy bt Tracy Eakin 2 and 1.
Mary Leahy Browne halved with Phil O’Gorman.
Anne Smee bt Barbara Cooney 4 and 2.
Royal Portrush 3 1/2, Co Louth 1 1/2
Charlene Reid bt Deirdre Smith 3 and 2.
Naoimh Quigg bt Jennifer Gannon 1 hole.
Lucy Simpson bt Maria Dunne 1 hole.
Helen Jones halved with Oonagh Purfield (called in).
Maura Diamond lost to Carla Reynolds 3 and 2.
Earlier results:
QUARTER-FINALS
Kilkenny 4, Muskerry 1
Eileen Rose Power bt Laura McCarthy 6 and 5.
Mary Dowling bt Siobhan O'Herlihy 8 and 7.
Orla Dunphy bt Carmel O'Sullivan 7 and 6.
Mary Leahy Browne halved with Eadaoin Cronin.
Anne Smee halved with Jean O'Driscoll.
Roscommon 1, Laytown & Bettystown 4
Sinead Benedetti lost to Alison Taylor 3 and 2.
Mary Seymour lost to Carol Wickham 3 and 1.
Ann McCormack lost to Tracy Eakin 7 and 6.
Ruth Lennon halved with Phil O'Gorman.
Ailbhe Farrell halved with Barbara Cooney.
Bandon 1½, Royal Portrush 3½
Rhona Brennan lost to Charlene Reid 4 and 3.
Lillian Burns lost to Naoimh Quigg 9 and 7.
Mary Scriven bt Helen Jones 2 and 1.
Carol Minihane lost to Lucy Simpson 5 and 4.
Paula Reardon halved with Maura Diamond.
Co Louth 3½, Enniscorthy 1½
Deirdre Smith bt Nicky King 1 hole.
Jennifer Gannon bt Jennifer King 7 and 6.
Maria Dunne lost to Laura Dempsey 3 and 1.
Oonagh Purfield halved with Margaret Mooney.
Carla Reynolds bt Cora Mernagh 5 and 3.

Further details available from:
Irish Ladies Golf Union
Denise McCarthy
087-2890127