Portumna beat Cahir Park in four-ball final

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Western District champions Portumna today emerged victorious over a gallant Cahir Park side in the Miele All-Ireland Ladies Inter-club Four-ball Finals at Mullingar Golf Club/
Having beaten Stackstown in the semi-finals of the tournament on Saturday, Portumna went on to secure, what was in the end, a convincing win over a luckless Cahir Park side.
The top match of the final saw the experienced Suzanne Corcoran, partnered by Mary Madden, score a fine 5 and 4 win against Cahir Park opponents Caithlin Fitzgerald and Catherine Costigan, to set the Western side on their way to victory.
Corcoran and Madden played solid golf throughout the day, with Madden’s putting being particularly impressive. The match got off to a tight start with the tie being all square after six holes. Portumna edged ahead at the turn and then went on to win the 10th, 11th, 12th with pars.
Corcoran produced a regulation par 5 at the short 14th to seal the first point of the final for the Western District champions.
Cahir Park looked as though they would even the points quickly, with the aunt and niece pairing of Helen O’Donoghue and Michelle Keating holding a commanding four-hole lead with six holes remaining.
However, Portumna battled back with Anita Carey and Annette Cahalan winning four of the next five holes to level the match with one hole remaining. Cahir Park eventually secured a much needed win through a par 5 from O’Donogue on the 18th.
Despite this defeat for Portumna they were declared the 2009 Miele Fourball All-Ireland Champions virtually seconds later when it emerged that Anne Cassidy and Audrey McGrath had beaten Susan Carey and Joanne Noonan by a 3 and 2margin in the third match.
Big-hitting McGrath, a former Irish international hockey player, played superb golf throughout the match to keep Portuma ahead during the afternoon as Cahir Park’s Joanne Noonan was frustrated by the tricky Mullingar greens, when she failed to seize opportunities to draw the southern side level.
The last match of the final again saw Cahir Park show their fighting spirit as the mother- daughter partnership of Marie and Emma Keating won the 12th and 13th to level their tie against Claire Callanan and Mary McElroy of Portumna.
The match remained all-square until the 15th when a halved match was agreed due to Portumna having secured two points , by a total of 8 holes, to put the tie out of reach for the Tipperary side.
Results
FINAL
PORTUMNA 2 ½, CAHIR PARK 1 ½
Suzanne Corcoran (4) and Mary Madden (24) bt Caitlin Fitzgerald (12) and Catherine Costigan(20) 5 and 4.
Anita Carey (13) and Annette Cahalan (20) lost to Helen O'Donoghue (10) and Michelle Keating(25) 1 hole.
Anne Cassidy (7) and Audrey McGrath (30) bt Susan Carey (13) and Joanne Noonan (26) 3 and 2.
Claire Callanan (8) and Mary McElroy (31) halved with Marie Keating (19) and Emma Keating(25).

SEMI-FINALS

PORTUMNA 3 1/2, STACKSTOWN 1 /2
Suzanne Corcoran (4) and Mary Madden (24) bt Avila Mairtin (12) and Mairead Cronin 6 and 5.
Anita Carey (13) and Annette Cahalan (20) halved with Barbara Kelly (6) and Jean Constant(22).
Anne Cassidy (7) and Audrey McGrath (30) bt Anne O'Connor (13) and Alice Shaughnessy Hynes (19) 6 and 4.
Claire Callanan (8) and Mary McElroy (31) bt Mary Horn (12) and Michell Murphy (21) 7 and 5.

CAHIR PARK 2 1/2, MANNAN CASTLE 1 1/2
Caitlin Fitzgerald (12) and Catherine Costigan (20) lost to Gill Rouiller (8) and Roisin Brady (13) 4 and 3.
Helen O'Donoghue (10) and Michelle Keating (25) halved with Louise Hanratty (10) and Mary Cassidy(16).
Susan Carey (13) and Joanne Noonan (26) bt Ann Carragher(16) and Mary MacNamee (21) 6 and 5.
Marie Keating (19) and Emma Keating (25) bt Rita O'Loughlin (14) and Teresa Butler (24) 4 and 3.