LGU PRESS RELEASE: GIRLS' HOME INTERNATIONALS

English Girls Bid For Fifth Title In A Row At Radyr England will be bidding to win the Stroyan Cup as champion team in next week's Girls' Home Internationals at Radyr Golf Club, near Cardiff for the fifth year in a row. It would not be a record sequence because England was the top side in the tournament for Under-18 girls six years in succession from 2000 to 2005 until Scotland broke the stranglehold to win the title in 2006 and 2007. Wales has not won the Stroyan Cup since 1999. Ireland has never won it. England, captained again by Chris Pascall, have four new caps in their eight-strong line-up. They are Gabriella Cowley (West Essex), third in the recent R&A Junior Open at Fairhaven GC, Junior Vagliano Trophy player Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer), Shelby Smart (Knowle) and Olivia Winning (Rotherham). The second Junior Vagliano Trophy player in the England line-up is Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) who has climbed into the top 10 of the Women's World Amateur Rankings on the back of an excellent series of tournament performances. She lost a play-off for the English women's amateur title in May and was beaten in the semi-finals of the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship at Carnoustie in June. Ireland finished runners-up in the Girls Home Internationals at Gullane last year when they beat Scotland and Wales but lost to England in the title decider. Ireland, captained by Niamh Kitching, has three new girl caps in its team – Mary Doyle (The Heath), Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) and Niamh Ward (Lurgan). Chloe Ryan (Castleroy) played for Ireland in last year's Women's Home Internationals as well as the Under-18s' event. Scotland, captained by Elaine Cuthill, has three new caps in its line-up – Nicola Callander (Mill Green), 16-year-old winner of the Scottish Under-21 Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Blairgowrie recently, Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies') and Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Ladies' Amateur Championship in May. Clara Young (North Berwick) played for GB and I against the Continent of Europe in the inaugural Junior Vagliano Trophy match at Royal Porthcawl GC in June 2011. Wales, captained by Kay Bradbury, has four of last year's line-up at Gullane in its line-up, which means that  Ella Griffiths (The Grove), Megan Lockett (Huddersfield) and Lottie Turner (Aberdovey) will be playing in the Girls' Home Internationals for the first time. Lottie is the daughter of the late Sue Turner, one of the most successful team captains in Welsh golf history who died last year before she could share in this year's Curtis Cup triumph at Nairn. Sue had been named as GB and I team manager. The fourth Junior Vagliano Trophy team player in the tournament is a member of the Wales' squad – Chloe Williams (Wrexham). She played in both the Girls' and women's Home Internationals last year. THE PROGRAMME Tuesday, August 7 Wales v Scotland, Ireland v England. Wednesday, August 8 England v Scotland, Ireland v Wales Thursday, August 9 Scotland v Ireland, Wales v England. THE TEAMS ENGLAND Chris Pascall Captain Gabriella Cowley West Essex Georgia Hall Remedy Oak Meghan MacLaren Wellingborough Elizabeth Mallett Sutton Coldfield Ladies' Amber Ratcliffe Royal Cromer Shelby Smart Knowle Brogan Townend Pleasington Olivia Winning Rotherham IRELAND Niamh Kitching Captain Jessica Carty Holywood Ariana Coyle Diez Elm Park Mary Doyle The Heath Olivia Mehaffey Royal County Down Ladies' Jean O'Driscoll Muskerry Jessica Ross Donaghadee Chloe Ryan Castletroy Niamh Ward Lurgan SCOTLAND Elaine Cuthill Captain Lesley Atkins Gullane Ladies' Nicola Callander Mill Green Jessica Meek Carnoustie Ladies' Ailsa Summers Carnoustie Ladies' Rachel Walker Dumfries and County Eilidh Watson Muckhart Lauren Whyte St Regulus Clara Young North Berwick WALES Kay Bradbury Captain Jess Evans Newport Nia Greville Ashburnham Ella Griffiths The Grove Georgia Lewis Llanishen Megan Lockett Huddersfield Lottie Turner Aberdovey Bethan Williams Holyhead Chloe Williams Wrexham