LAST QUALIFIER OLIVIA BEATS TOP SEED STEPHANIE IN IRISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies), last of the 64 match-play qualifiers,  sensationally beat top Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) on the home green in a tie where the better ball was eight under par in the Irish women's close championship at Ballybunion Golf Club today.
Irish Under-18s champion Olivia, pictured, who will be playing for GB and I in the Under-16s Junior Vagliano Trophy match at Chantilly, nr Paris next week, recorded birdies at the second, seventh, 13th and a hole in one eagle  at the par 3 eighth.  Vagliano Trophy team selection Stephanie, four  down after 12, produced sub-par golf to be one down playing 18 but Olivia played her second shot close enough for a conceded winning birdie 3 at the last. 
Olivia will play past champion Karen Delaney (Carlow) in tomorrow's second round. 
Also through is Maria Dunne (Skerries), who will play Carla Reynolds (Seapoint).  
Amy Farrell (Moate) will play Mary Doyle (The Heath) who came through a tight match against her girls international team-mate Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park).  
The Maguire 18-year-old twins, Leona and Lisa will face each other in the morning and it will be a toss up as to who will win that!  
Pat Doran (Donabate) beat the third seed Lucy Simpson (Massereene) and will take on Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare). 

CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST-ROUND RESULTS


Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) bt Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) 2 holes.
Karen Delaney (Carlow) bt Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) 3 and 1.    

Maria Dunne (Skerries) bt Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) 4 and 2
Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) bt Patrice Delaney (Birr) 1 hole
 
Amy Farrell (Moate) bt Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 3 and 2
Mary Doyle (The Heath) bt Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) 1 hole.    

Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 4 and 3.
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Holly Robinson (Co Sligo) 3 and 2.

Pat Doran (Donabate) bt Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 1 hole.
Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) bt Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown) 1 hole.

Jessica Carty (Holywood) bt Emma O'Driscoll (Ballyburnion) 4 and 2.
Mary Dowling (New Ross) bt Grace McGrath (East Cork) 7 and 6
.
Louise Coffey (Malone) bt Laura Doherty (Howth)  at 22nd
Paula Grant (Lisburn) bt Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) at 19th

Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) bt Gillian O'Leary (The Island) 5 and 3
Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) bt Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 3 and 2 
Wallace Draw (Plate)
First Round Results
Mary Sheehy (Tralee) bt Jackie Kavanagh (Wicklow) 1 hole.
Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) bt Róisín Brady (Co. Louth) 2 and 1    
Nicky King (Woodbrook bt Orla Barry (Galway) 2 and 1 
Chloe Weir (Shandon Park) w.o. Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) scr    
Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) bt Claire Keating (Killarney) 2 and 1
Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle) bt Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel) 3 and 2
Shannon Heerey (Headfort) bt Rachel Taylor (Laytown and Bettystown) 4 and 2.
Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) bt Patricia Joyce (Ballyburnion) 4 and 3