HELEN JONES DEFENDS IRISH SENIORS TITLE AT WOODENBRIDGE

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Royal Portrush’s Helen Jones will commence the defence of her Irish Close title when competitors tee it up at the ILGU’s Senior Women’s Close Championship at beautiful Woodenbridge Golf Club in the Vale of Avoca, on Tuesday 2 July.

Past International Sheena McElroy (Grange) looks the most likely to pose a threat to Jones’ title having been crowned champion a notable three times in the past five years. Last year’s runner up Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) will also look to avenge her 2012 final defeat at Bunclody while Laura Webb (nee Bolton) is sure to feature on the final day having just qualified for the senior ranks, now supporting an impressive handicap of 1.

Fellow Seniors’ Internationals Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown), Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) and Gertie McMullan (The Island) are also tipped for success while 2013 could at long last be Pat Doran’s year as the Donabate golfer is well overdue an Irish Seniors title having been runner up in the British Seniors twice in the last two years.

In a revised format for 2013, competitors will play 18 holes over the immaculate parkland layout at Woodenbridge on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the top 16 qualifying for matchplay over the following two days. Players in positions seventeen through thirty-two will qualify for a matchplay Plate.

An additional incentive for the field this year will be the valuable Order of Merit points on offer for players eyeing selection on the Irish team for the European Senior Women’s Team Championships in Slovenia in September. Last year’s side won the bronze medal in Switzerland and once again Captain Terry Sexton (Dun Laoghaire) and selector Roma English (Larne) will be busily watching the big-guns in the field at Woodenbridge. Admission is complimentary and spectators ar very welcome.

 

IRISH SENIOR WOMEN’S CLOSE CHAMPIONSHIP – WOODENBRIDGE, 2–5 JULY

TUESDAY 2 JULY
08:30 Mary Duane (Hermitage) Catherine Carty (Tullamore) Roma English (Larne)
08:40 Sally Casey (Seapoint) Fiona McComb (Ballycastle) Anna Moloney (Clonmel)
08:50 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) Mary Kinsella (Tullamore) Connie Doyle (Enniscorthy)
09:00 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) Lily Owens (Malahide) Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast)
09:10 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) Kate Evans (Frilford Heath)
09:20 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook)
09:30 Breda Murphy (Woodenbridge) Bernie Cox (Carlow) Síghle Henigan (Ballybunion)
09:40 Patricia Kelly (Limerick) Breda Farrell (Curra West) Cáit Cooney (Tullamore)
09:50 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam) Kathleen Moylan (Tullamore)
10:00 Carol Kinsella (Waterford Castle) Marie Conlon (The Heath) Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown)
10:20 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) Carmel Bolton (Portarlington) Madeleine Brennan (Carlow)
10:30 Laura Webb (Cairndhu) Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown)
10:40 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) Pat Doran (Donabate) Sheena McElroy (Grange)
10:50 Mary Maclaren (Wellingborough) Mary Dowling (Mallow) Gertie McMullen (The Island)
11:00 Mairéad MacNamara (Woodbrook) Catherine Reilly (The Heath) Valerie Hassett (Ennis)
11:10 Sinead Heraty (Castle) Rosemary Hayes (Hermitage) Penny Gleeson (Milltown)
11:20 Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore) Gemma Butler (Birr) Yvonne MacSweeney (Wexford)
11:30 Liz Bennett (New Ross) Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook) Bernie Darcy (Woodenbridge)
11:40 Mary Powell (Nenagh) Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) Helen Egan (Tullamore)
11:50 Mary Geaney (Killarney) Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) Anne Mernagh (Woodenbridge)
12:00 Terry Sexton (Dun Laoghaire) Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) Carmel Cahill (Hermitage)WEDNESDAY 3 JULY
08:30 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) Carol Kinsella (Waterford Castle) Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam)
08:40 Carmel Bolton (Portarlington) Marie Conlon (The Heath) Kathleen Moylan (Tullamore)
08:50 Madeleine Brennan (Carlow) Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown) Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel)
09:00 Mairéad MacNamara (Woodbrook) Sinead Heraty (Castle) Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore)
09:10 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) Rosemary Hayes (Hermitage) Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone)
09:20 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) Penny Gleeson (Milltown) Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook)
09:30 Laura Webb (Cairndhu) Sheena McElroy (Grange) Mary Maclaren (Wellingborough)
09:40 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) Gertie McMullen (The Island) Pat Doran (Donabate)
09:50 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) Mary Dowling (Mallow) Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna)
10:00 Liz Bennett (New Ross) Mary Powell (Nenagh) Gemma Butler (Birr)
10:20 Anna Moloney (Clonmel) Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) Catherine Carty (Tullamore)
10:30 Mary Geaney (Killarney) Mary Kinsella (Tullamore) Mary Duane (Hermitage)
10:40 Terry Sexton (Dun Laoghaire) Connie Doyle (Enniscorthy) Helen Egan (Tullamore)
10:50 Bernie Darcy (Woodenbridge) Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) Sally Casey (Seapoint)
11:00 Roma English (Larne) Fiona McComb (Ballycastle) Pamela Morgan (Lahinch)
11:10 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) Pauline Walsh (Headfort)
11:20 Lily Owens (Malahide) Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry)
11:30 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) Kate Evans (Frilford Heath) Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook)
11:40 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) Breda Murphy (Woodenbridge) Breda Farrell (Curra West)
11:50 Anne Mernagh (Woodenbridge) Bernie Cox (Carlow) Patricia Kelly (Limerick)
12:00 Yvonne MacSweeney (Wexford) Síghle Henigan (Ballybunion) Cáit Cooney (Tullamore)