Irish legend Kitty MacCann dies at 88

FROM THE IRISH TIMES WEBSITE
The death has occurred of the legendary Kitty MacCann (nee Smye) aged 88 years, past Irish champion, British champion and Irish international.
Born in Clonmel, Co Tipperary in 1922, MacCann became the first Irish winner of the British Ladies Amateur Championship, at Broadstone in 1951, since May Hezlet in 1907 bridging a gap of 44 years. She won two national titles in 1949 and 1961 and was selected for the 1952 Curtis Cup team but didn’t play because of illness.
MacCann played in the Home Internationals 16 times between 1947 and 1965 and won the Midland Senior Championship on four occasions and the Leinster Championship in 1948 and 1958 and the Munster Championship in 1958.
Kitty was born into a golfing family. Her father was a scratch player, who played in the South of Ireland championship, while two of her brothers Gerry and Willie played off three handicap.
The Irish Ladies Championship in 1947 at Royal Portrush was to be her first of three finals against Philomena Garvey, all of which she eventually lost. Two years later she defeated Mrs J Beck in the final at Co Louth and as the years moved on she proved to be one of only two people to loosen Garvey’s stranglehold on the championship.
She also served on the ILGU Midland Executive in the 1960s and later as an Irish selector in the 1970s.

Deirdre Smith returns to winning ways

Deirdre Smith from Co Louth made a return to winning ways with victory at the Hermitage Scratch Cup on Sunday.
The former Irish close champion signed for rounds of 76 and 76 to claim the title on a countback from Ciara Butler from Newlands, Sue Phillips from Woodbrook and Sinead Bennedetti from Roscommon, after all four finished on 152.
Amy Farrell (Moate) finished fifth 153 with rounds of 77 and 76.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 146 (2x73) CSS 75 75
152 Deirdre Smith 76 76, Ciara Butler 76 76, Sue Phillips 76 76, Sinead Benedetti 74 78.
153 Amy Farrell 77 76.
154 Aoife Lowry 77 77, Jennifer Gannon 75 79.
156 Louise Mernagh 78 78.
157 Sarah Cunningham 82 75, Mary Dowling 77 80.
158 Helen Jones 80 78, Suzy Sheehan 78 80.
160 Chloe Ryan 81 79.
161 Pat Doran 79 82, Niamh Giblin 78 83.
162 Maura Diamond 84 78, Jean O'Driscoll 82 80, Aisling O'Leary 81 81.
163 Suzie Hayes 83 80, Olivia Conroy 80 83.
164 Gertie McMullan 83 81.
165 Anna Courtney 85 80.
166 Sandra Atkinson 84 82, Ariana Coyle Diez 84 86, Mary Leahy Brown 83 83, Nicky King 82 84, Eileen O'Brien 82 84.
167 Anne McCormack 81 86, Marilyn Henderson 79 88.
168 Lucy Simpson 85 83, Linda Twomey 84 84.
169 Karen Delaney 89 80, Nicola Coffey 85 84.
170 Jenny Hennessy 89 81, Lauren Murray 87 83.
171 Ashley Wilton 85 86, Ruth Maguire 84 87.
172 Lee Murphy O'Connor 89 83.
173 Angie Dwyer 89 84, Barbara Cooney 88 85, Sally Lenehan 86 87, Emma Murphy 80 93.
174 Maria Beaton 88 86, Aisling Brennan 85 89, Pauline Walsh 84 90.
175 Niamh Prendiville 91 84, Carmel Cahill 86 89.
176 Mary Duane 88 88.
177 Teresa Thompson 85 92.
178 Jennifer Moore 89 89, Connie Doyle 88 90.
179 Adrienne Crowley 92 87, Eileen Lowe 89 90.
180 Caroline Murphy 87 93, Catherine Kavanagh 87 93.
182 Mary Devine 93 89, Sandra McCaffrey 90 92, Orla Foley 89 93.
184 Niamh Kelly 97 87.
185 Liz Greene 93 92.
186 Ciara Burke 96 90.
187 Catriona Hogan 96 91.
192 Niamh Henri Bezy 94 98.
NR Hannah O'Connor 92 NR
NR Jennifer King NR 96
NR Fiona Staunton NR 90
DSQ Lily Owens 81 81