EAST CORK, GALWAY BAY AND PORTUMNA

PROGRESS TO SEMI-FINALS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
The 2010 ILGU Inter-Club Championships, which consist of two foursomes and four singles match-play events, got underway today at Donabate Golf Club and will conclude on Sunday 26th September.
East Cork were the first team to win a tie in the 2010 Championships when they secured the top three matches in a tight quarter final of the Junior Cup against Dun Laoghaire.
East Cork were led by Jessie Anthony who won on the home green, while Mairead Ni Murchu and Deirdre Harte added wins by 2 and 1 margins to end Dun Laoghaire’s hopes of a double win in the Championships and give the Munster side a place in tomorrow’s Junior Cup semi-finals against Enniscorthy.
The quarter-finals of the Intermediate Cup saw Galway Bay win convincingly against Moate after recording wins in the top three matches on the 14th hole. Helen O’Flaherty got the first point on the board for the Western team when, after a wayward second shot on the 14th, she holed her third for a birdie 3 to win the hole and the match.
Orla Shields followed in the second match with birdies at the 8th and 9th to take control of her tie against Moate’s Sinead Healy and post a 6 and 4 result before Aoife Killeen sealed an early win for Galway Bay and booked them a place in tomorrow’s semi final against Kilcoole.
In the last of the opening day’s matches a young Portumna side were always in control against Hazel Grove in their Minor Cup quarter final tie. Mary McDonagh played steady golf throughout her match and, despite a fine display of putting from her opponent Frances Mayberry, she emerged with a 2 and 1 victory in the top match.
Mary Kelly also produced some excellent putting to record a comfortable 7 and 5 win for Portumna in the second match, while Portumna’s Mary McElroy was in equally devastating form, producing birdies at the eighth and 11th on her way to a 6 and 5 win, which progressed Portumna to the semi finals of the Minor Cup v Youghal on Friday.
Tomorrow sees nine matches taking place at Donabate with either quarter- finals or semi-finals being played in each of the six championships.


RESULTS
JUNIOR CUP (h'cap 8 - 15)
QUARTER FINAL
EAST CORK 4, DUN LAOGHAIRE 1 
Jessie Anthony (11) bt Marie Igoe (8) 1 hole.
Mairead Ni Mhurchu (12) bt Suzanne Coyne (9) 2 and 1
Deirdre Harte (13) bt Mai Tan (10) 2 and 1
Anne O'Connell (13) halved with Alison Pigot (12) Called-in
Tara McCarthy (14) halved with Barbara Dillon (12) Called-in


INTERMEDIATE CUP (h'cap 16 - 22)
QUARTER-FINAL
GALWAY BAY 4 , MOATE 1
Helen O'Flaherty (17) bt Pearse Corbett (16) 5 and 4
Orla Shields (18) bt Sinead Healy (19) 6 and 4
Aoife Killeen (19) bt Veronica McCormack (20) 6 and 4
Deirdre Toohey (19) halved with Mary Egan (21) Called-in
Shiela Reilly (19) halved with Eileen White (22) Called-in


MINOR CUP (h'cap 23 - 29)
QUARTER-FINAL
PORTUMNA 4, HAZEL GROVE 1
Mary McDonagh (23) bt Frances Mayberry (23) 2 and 1
Mary Kelly (26) bt Michelle Masterson (24) 7 and 5
Loretto O'Grady (27) halved with Phyllis Noctor (24) Called-in
Mary McElroy (28) bt Mirium Walsh (27) 6 and 5
Audrey McGrath (28) halved with Evelyn Daly (27) Called-in