Irish Girls’ Close Championship

Kilkenny Golf Club

McSherry, O’Shea, McCarthy and Martin through to semi-finals

FROM SARAH CROWE
Irish Ladies Golf Union

Championship Match Play DRAW

Plate Match Play DRAW

Qualifying Scores HERE

Low scoring once again dominated the third day of the Irish girls’ close championship in Kilkenny.

Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) beat Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) 3 and 2 in a quality match that produced two eagles and six birdies between the pair.

 Niamh now has a quarter-final tie against Clodagh’s sister, Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden). 

Lisa O’Shea (Shannon) carded an impressive 3 and 2 victory over Milltown’s Georgia Car, tor set up her next match with Kilkenny’s Jan Browne who also carded a 3 and 2 victory over Aine Donegan (Woodstock). 

Irish international Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) showed her class  too as she carded an impressive 5 and 4 victory over Kate Dwyer (Rossmore) which set her up against Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) Mairead Martin had a comprehensive 6 and 5 victory over Rebecca MacLaren (Wellingborough)

Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) was quick out of the blocks as she opened up with and early four-hole lead after 6 holes over Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo). She later extended her lead to 7 holes  after the 10^th and finished it at the 12^th 

 Last year’s runner up Lisa O’Shea was also in flying form in the afternoon as she opened up a three-hole lead over Kilkenny’s Jan Browne after the 10^th. 

The two other games were much tighter affairs as Niamh McSherry and Anna Foster both made the turn one up in their matches. Niamh soon got to grips with things on the back nine and won the match on the 16^th. 

Despite Lisa’s early lead, Jan Browne showed great determination and fought back to trail by only 1 hole as the pair teed off the 18^th but Lisa did enough to see out the match with a par on the last. 

The final quarter final of the day between Mairead Martin (Killarney) and Anna Foster (Elm Park) was a great battle as the pair traded shots over and back for the majority of the round. 

Anna pulled two holes ahead after the 16^th but Mairead fought back and won both 17 and 18 to bring yet another match down the 19^th hole. Mairead finished the better of the two with a birdie on the 19^th

All information for the Irish Girls’ Close Championship, including the match play draw can be found HERE.

Irish Girls’ Close Championship – Match Play Semi Final – 16/07/16

08:00   Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) V Lisa O’Shea (Shannon)

08:10   Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) V Mairead Martin (Killarney)

Irish Girls' Close Championship

SECOND ROUND

Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) bt Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) 3 and 2

Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) bt Aideen Walsh (Woodstock) 5 and 4

Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) bt Georgia Carr (Milltown) 3 and 2

Jan Browne (Kilkenny) bt Aine Donegan (Woodstock) 3 and 2

Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) bt Kate Dwyer (Rossmore) 5 and 4

Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) bt Katie Keenan (Kilkenny) 3 and 1

Mairead Martin (Killarney) bt Rebecca MacLaren (Wellingborough)  6 and 5

Anna Foster (Elm Park) bt Kate Lanigan (Hermitage) 1 hole.

Quarter-finals

McSherry bt Lauren Walsh  3 and 2

O’Shea bt Browne1 hole.

McCarthy bt Rooney 8 and 6

Martin bt Foster 1 hole.

Irish Girls’ Close Pate – Match Play Semi Final 16/07/16

08:20   Sara Byrne (Douglas) V Rachel Thompson (Cork)

08:30   Sarah Lacey (Castleknock) V Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle)

Irish Girls’  Plate

 FIRST ROUND

Bethany Thornbury (Tandragee) bt Sarah Burke (Mullingar) 1 hole.                         

Sara Byrne (Douglas) bt Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown and Bettystown) 2 and 1  

Katie O'Hart (Arklow) bt Canice Screene (Hermitage) 2 and 1                        

Rachel Thompson (Cork) bt Ellen O'Gorman (Milltown) 4 and 3

Emma Forbes (Royal Portrush) bt Clodagh Coughlan (Douglas) 1 hole

Sarah Lacey (Castleknock) bt Nicole McGavisk (Donabate) 2 and 1

Clodagh Jones (Roscrea) bt Leah Temple Lang (Elm Park) 4 and 2

Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) w.o. Valerie Clancy (Killarney) scr

QUARTER-FINALS

Sara Byrne (Douglas) bt Bethany Thornbury (Tandragee) 4 and 2

Rachel Thompson (Cork) bt Katie O’Hart (Arklow) 6 and 5

Sarah Lacey (Castleknock) bt Emma Forbes (Royal Portrush) 3  and 2

Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) bt Clodagh Jones (Roscrea) 3 and 2