Leona and Lisa still on course to meet

in Irish final at Portstewart

The talented twins from the Slieve Russell club, Leona and Lisa Maguire, are still on course to meet in Wednesday’s 18-hole final of the Lancome Irish women’s (closed) championship at Portstewart Golf Club.
Leona was three down after six holes in her first round match against Donabate’s Pat Doran but was four under par for the remainder of the tie which finished on the 15h green. Leona won by 4 and 3, helped by birdies at the eighth, 11th, 13th and 14th.
In the afternoon Leona was square at the turn against senior international Helen Jones before prevailing again by 4 and 3.
Leona will play the well supported Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush), pictured below by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who defeated fellow international Niamh Kitching (Limerick) by 2 and 1.
Lisa Maguire, the defending champion, also had a slow start and lost the first but pulled away on the back nine against Sandra Atkinson (Woodbrook), winning the 13th, 14th and 15th for a 4 and 3 victory in the first round.
In the contest of the afternoon Lisa beat Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) with a birdie at the 20th hole. Victoria, who beat Leona in last year’s championship at Fota Island, was one up through 16 but Leona levelled the match at the 17th.
Victoria was unlucky not the win the match on the 18th where Leona sank a long pressure putt for a half to keep the match alive. Lisa now plays Maura Dimaond (Royal Portrush for a place in the last four.

Monday's results:
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH PLAY

FIRST ROUND

Upper half.

Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Pat Doran (Donabate) 4 and 3.

Helen Jones (Strabane) bt Sue Phillips (Woodbrook) 6 and 5.

Niamh Kitching (Limerick) bt Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) 3 and 2.

Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) bt Amy Farrell (Moate) 2 and 1.

Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) bt Kate Gallagher (Claremorris) 4 and 3.

Louise Coffey (Malone) bt Anne McCormack (Roscommon) 4 and 3.

Gemma McClenaghan (Greencastle) bt Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) 7 and 6.

Karen Delaney (Carlow) bt Holly Robinson (Co. Sligo) 2 and 1.

Lower half

Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Sandra Atkinson (Woodbrook) 4 and 3.

Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) bt Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 2 and 1.
Karen O'Neill (Douglas) bt Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) 6 and 5.

Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) bt Lesley Hemphill (Portstewart) 1 hole.

Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth) bt Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry) 5 and 4.

Maria Dunne (Skerries) bt Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 4 and 3.

Mary Dowling (New Ross) bt Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 2 and 1.

Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway) bt Gertie McMullen (The Island) at 20th

SECOND ROUND

Leona Maguire bt Jones 4 and 3.

Reid bt Kitching 2 and 1.

Coffey bt Smith 4 and 3.

Delaney bt McClenaghan 6 and 5

Lisa Maguire bt Bradshaw at 20th

Maura Diamond bt O'Niell 6 and 4

Gannon bt Dunne 2 and 1

Dowling bt O'Sullivan 2 and 1.

QUARTER-FINALS

Tuesday, May 25

09:00 Leona Maguire v Charlene Reid.

09:09 Louise Coffey v Karen Delaney.

09:18 Lisa Maguire v Maura Diamond.

09:27 Jenny Gannon v Mary Dowling.

ITA WALLACE TROPHY (Plate)

FIRST ROUND

Caroline Murphy (Grange) bt Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle) 2 and 1.

Niamh O'Connor (Woodbrook) bt Aisling Parker (Greenore) 5 and 4.

Jessica Carty (Holywood) bt Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) 2 holes.

Linda Toomey (Limerick) bt Melanie Mitchell (Royal Portrush) 2 holes.

Lisa McMeekin (Massereene) bt Roisin Brady (Mannan Castle) 6 and 4.

Kate Evans (Frilford Heath) bt Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 3 and 2.

Nicola Coffey (Woodbrook) bt Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 3 and 2.

Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) bt Ann Monteith (Castlehume) 4 and 3.

QUARTER-FINALS

Murphy bt O'Connor at 19th.

Carty bt Toomey 2 holes.

McMeekin bt Evans 3 and 2.

Helly bt Coffey 2 holes.

SEMI-FINALS

Tuesday, May 25

09:36 Caroline Murphy v Jessica Carty.

09:45 Lisa McMeekin v Sarah Helly.