Defending champion Gertie McMullen earns top 

seeding for Irish senior women's close match-play

 

Full Qualifying Results 

   

  FROM SARAH CROWE

  Irish Ladies Golf Union

The qualifying stages at the Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship have come to a close after 36 holes at Birr Golf Club.
The Island’s Gertie McMullen made a solid start to her defence of the title, after recording rounds of 71 and 77 for 148 to emerge leading qualifier, four clear of in-form Mary Sheehy (Tralee). 

Sheehy made birdies on the ninth and 16^th while McMullen finished in style, carding an eagle 3 on the 18^th. 

 

In the top qualifying positions are also 2014 champion Laura Webb (East Berkshire), Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown), Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna), Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast), Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) and Maria O’Reilly (Headfort). After shooting two steady rounds to ease through to the championship match-play stages. Marilyn Henderson is unfortunately unavailable for match-play.

 

The plate match play will be run alongside the championship and includes current senior international Sheena McElroy (Grange) and past senior international Kate Evans (Royal Co. Down Ladies). 

The fabulous course at Birr Golf Club is proving challenging for the players as the undulating fairways, hills and hollows are catching even some of the most accomplished golfers. 

The top 16 have qualified for the championship match-play, while positions 17 through to 32  will compete for the plate.

 

Championship Draw
09:34 Gertie McMullen (The Island) v Mary Dowling (Mallow)
09:42 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush)  v Pat  Doran (Donabate) 
09:50 Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown) -v- Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire)
09:58 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) -v- Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion)
10:06 Mary Sheehy (Tralee) -v- Ruth Maguire (Corrstown)
10:14 Maria O'Reilly (Headfort) -v- Fiona Corbett (Castletroy)
10:22 Laura Webb (East Berkshire) -v- Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
10:30 Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) -v- Emer Kirwan (Kiliney)

 

Plate Draw
08:30 Kate Evans (Royal Co. Down Ladies) -v- Rita O'Neill (Callan)
08:38 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) -v- Honoria Fogarty (Castlecomer)
08:46 Mary Duane (Hermitage) -v- Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell)
08:54 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) -v- Valerie Shannon (Lahinch)
09:02 Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) -v- Siobhan McGrath (Athlone)
09:10 Paula Murray (Naas) -v- Catherine Bird (Nenagh)   
09:18 Sheena Mc Elroy (Grange) -v- Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam)  
09:26 Margaret Hayes (Tralee) -v- Fiona Glass (Ballycastle)

 

Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship 

QUALIFYING TOTALS
Par 73 SSS 73 CSS 73 (R1) CSS 74 (R2)
148 Gertie McMullen (Island) 71 77
152 Mary Sheehy (Tralee) 74 78
154 Laura Webb (East Berkshire) 77 77, Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown) 74 80
155 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) 79 76
156 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) 79 77, Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) 76 80
157 Maria O'reilly (Headfort) 75 82
158 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) 77 81
159 Pat Doran (Donabate) 80 79
160 Fiona Corbett (Castletroy) 80 80, Emer Kirwan (Killiney) 79 81
161 Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion) 80 81, Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 78 83
162 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 82 80, Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 81 81, Mary Dowling (Mallow) 80 82, Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 80 82
163 Kate Evans (Royal Co. Down Ladies) 82 81, Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) 82 81, Sheena McElroy (Grange) 78 85
164 Mary Duane (Hermitage) 85 79, Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 84 80
165 Margaret Hayes (Tralee) 81 84, Paula Murray (Naas) 78 87
166 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) 84 82, Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 79 87
167 Honoria Fogarty (Castlecomer) 86 81, Catherine Bird (Nenagh) 77 90
171 Fiona Glass (Ballycastle) 90 81, Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) 88 83
172 Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) 87 85, Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam) 82 90
173 Siobhan McGrath (Athlone) 86 87, Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 86 87, Rita O'Neill (Callan) 83 90
174 Mary Kinsella (Tullamore) 87 87, Stephanie Mac Grath (Lahinch) 87 87
175 Breda Ryan (Callan) 86 89
177 Gemma Butler (Birr) 84 93, V Smyth (Birr) 84 93
178 Nicky F Smyth (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 91 87
179 Mary Mather (Cill Dara) 91 88, Elizabeth Neville (Bearna) 90 89, Majorie Ahern (Lahinch) 89 90
180 Julie Barkman (Nenagh) 91 89, Hazel Henderson (Royal Portrush) 88 92
181 Catherine Carty (Tullamore) 90 91, Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore) 89 92
182 Christine Carroll (Killarney) 90 92
183 Yvonne MacSweeney (Wexford) 86 97
188 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 92 96
189 Anne Wemyss (Callan) 96 93, Kathleen Burke (Connemara) 93 96
190 Mary Sadlier (Lahinch) 95 95
191 Angela Cullinan (Lahinch) 95 96
193 Kathleen Moylan (Tullamore) 96 97.