Munster and Ulster both win on Day 1 in The Island sunshine

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Points table after day 1
Munster 1
Ulster 1
Leinster 0
Connacht 0
Results for Wednesday 7th April
Leinster 4 Ulster 5
Foursomes
Rachel Cassidy & Louise Mernagh lost to Victoria Bradshaw & Louise Coffey by 1 hole
Mary Dowling & Aedin Murphy beat Charlene Reid & Gemma McClenaghan 2&1
Karen Delaney & Maria Dunne lost to Nikki Currie & Tara Gribben 2&1
Singles
Ciara Butler beat Charlene Reid 1up
Mary Dowling beat Louise Coffey 2&1
Aedin Murphy lost to Victoria Bradshaw 6&5
Karen Delaney lost to Gemma McClenaghan 6&4
Rachel Cassidy beat Bronagh Lunney 1up
Deirdre Smith lost to Lucy Simpson 4&3

Leinster pairing of home favourite Rachel Cassidy and Louise Mernagh had a good start to their match against Victoria Bradshaw and Louise Coffey and birdied the 7th and 8th to turn 3 up. However, Ulster won the 10th, 11th and 12th to level the affair and with the match all square playing eighteen Leinster three putted to loose by 1 hole.
Ulster's experience and youth pair of Nikki Currie and Tara Gribben took a while to gel but despite being three down at the turn, returned with an impressive 2 and 1 victory.
Leinster's International pair of Mary Dowling and Aedin Murphy gained an important point for their team with a 2 and 1 win against fellow International Charlene Reid and partner Gemma McClenaghan.
In the afternoon singles Victoria Bradshaw gave Ulster and great start with a 6 and 5 win against International team mate Aedin Murphy and Gemma McClenaghan added further misery to the holders with and 6 and 4 win against Karen Delaney.
Lucy Simpson beat Deirdre Smith to secure the point for Ulster despite Leinster wins for Ciara Butler, Mary Dowling and Rachel Cassidy.

Connacht 2 Munster 7
Foursomes
Niamh Kitching & Sarah Helly lost to Gillian O'Leary & Sarah Cunningham 3&2
Anne McCormack & Ailbhe Farrell beat Laura McCarthy & Sarah Crowe 2&1
Kate Gallagher & Holly Robinson lost to Linda Toomey & Karen O'Neill 4&3
Singles
Niamh Kitching lost to Gillian O'Leary 5&4
Sarah Helly lost to Laura McCarthy 3&2
Holly Robinson lost to Aoife Lowry 3&1
Kate Gallagher lost to Linda Toomey 4&3
Ailbhe Farrell beat Karen O'Neill 1up
Anne McCormack lost to Sarah Cunningham by 2 holes

Top Munster pairing of Gillian O'Leary and Sarah Cunningham had a tight match against Connacht's experienced Niamh Kitching and newcomer Sarah Helly and the match was all square through 13, however Munster won the 14th, 15th and 16th holes to win 3 and 2.
Team mates Linda Toomey and Karen O'Neill defeated Kate Gallagher and Holly Robinson by 4 and 3...both pairs halved the 14th with birdies but Munster had a good up and down to take the match on the 15th.
Anne McCormack and Ailbhe Farrell salvaged a point for Connacht and both teams go into the singles matches with all to play for.Munster Champion Gillian O'Leary continued her devastating form, played "solid golf" and threw in birdies at 10 and 11 to dispose of a gutted Niamh Kitching.
Linda Toomey, who will be pleased with her days' work, put Munster further ahead with a good 4 and 3 win over Kate Gallagher, meanwhile Laura McCarthy and Aoife Lowry rolled in wins to ensure the point for Munster.
Draw for Thursday 8th April
Munster -v- Ulster
08:30 Gillian O'Leary & Sarah Cunningham -v- Victoria Bradshaw
08:40 Laura McCarthy & Sarah Crowe -v- Charlene Reid & Gemma McGlenaghan
08:50 Linda Toomey & Karen O'Neill -v- Nikki Currie & Tara Gribben

Connacht -v- Leinster
08:35 Niamh Kitching & Sarah Helly -v- Mary Dowling & Ciara Butler
08:45 Anne McCormack & Ailbhe Farrell -v- Rachel Cassidy & Deirdre Smith
08:55 Doireann Carney & Holly Robinson -v- Karen Delaney & Maria Dunne