Final four at the Irish Girls' Close Championship -- Thompson, Rooney, Clancy & Martin

21 July 17

 

For immediate publication

Photo LEFT: Valerie Clancy (Killarney) For single use only in conjunction with this release. Mandatory credit to Pat Cashman Photography

 

QUALIFYING RESULTS

 

MATCHPLAY DRAW – Championship

MATCHPLAY DRAW – Plate

 

 

The Final Four are set for the semi-finals of the Irish Girls' Close Championship at Mallow Golf Club.

 

Five of this morning's 8 Championship matches finished on 18 or went to extra holes. Leading qualifier Rachel Thompson (Cork) and Emma Forbes (Royal Portrush) were the first match to go down the 19^th. Thompson progressed to the quarter finals when she made par on the first extra hole while Forbes, who had found trouble off the tee, bogeyed. Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) was also successful on the 19^th while Valerie Clancy (Killarney) and Nicole Joyce Moreno (Llavaneras Barcelona) won their matches on the 18^th.

 

One of the favourites at the beginning of the week, Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) who has shown great form of late, winning the Leinster Girls' Championship at Seapoint and qualifying in the top 20 at the Girls' European Team Championships, bowed out to Beth Coulter in this morning's last 16 matches. Walsh was ahead for most of the front 9 when Coulter turned up the heat and fired 4 birdies and an eagle on the back 9 to win the match by 1 hole. "It was such a good match, I can't really be disappointed with the result, I was 3 under and got beaten on 18 so there's nothing much you can do," said Walsh post round.

 

The Plate produced some more close calls, none less than the match between Shannon Hegarty (Ennis) and Leah Temple-Lang (Elm Park) which went in the South Dubliner's favour on the 20^th hole.

 

The weather closed in for the afternoon matches and conditions proved very difficult. Kanturk's Mairead Martin was the first to progress to the semi-finals by winning over Nicole Joyce Moreno 4&3. Thompson closely followed when her match versus Georgia Carr (Milltown) was finalised on the 17^th green. Canice Screene (Hermitage) went 2up with 6 to play against Clancy, but the Killarney girl won the next 2 holes to level the match. Clancy was 1up standing on the first tee and although she missed the green a bogey was enough for the half and a place in the semi-final. The fourth quarter final match between Beth Coulter and Maeve Rooney needed 19 holes to be decided. Coulter holed a 6-foot putt on the 18^th but a clutch birdie from Rooney on the 19^th confirmed the win, her 2^nd on the same hole today, and finalised the quartet who will compete on the last day at Mallow.

 

Sara Byrne (Douglas), Nicole McGavisk (Donabate), Leah Temple Lang and Jan Browne (Kilkenny) will compete in the semi-finals of the Plate. McGavisk overcame Munster Girls' Interprovincial Niamh O'Dwyer while Byrne knocked out Connacht Girl O'Connor. Leinster Girls' Temple Lang and Browne were victorious over Katie O'Hart (Arklow) and Anna McVicker (Belvoir Park).

 

Tomorrows semi-finals matches will be followed by the Plate Final at 13:10 and the Championship Final at 13:20.

 

Championship

Semi Finals – Saturday 22 July

08:10 Rachel Thompson vs. Maeve Rooney

08:20 Valerie Clancy vs. Mairead Martin

 

Quarter Finals – Friday 21 July

Rachel Thompson beat Georgia Carr 2&1

Maeve Rooney beat Beth Coulter 19th

Valerie Clancy beat Canice Screene 1 hole

Mairead Martin beat Nicole Joyce Moreno 4&3

 

Last 16 – Friday 21 July

Rachel Thompson beat Emma Forbes 19th

Georgia Carr beat Anna Foster 5&4

Kate Lanigan lost to Maeve Rooney 19th

Lauren Walsh lost to Beth Coulter 1 hole

Valerie Clancy beat Kate Dwyer 1 hole

Canice Screene beat Ellen O'Gorman 7&6

Mairead Martin beat Ada Bowler 6&5

Maeve Cummins lost to Nicole Joyce Moreno 1 hole

 

Plate

Semi Final – Saturday 22 July

07:50 Nicole McGavisk vs. Sara Byrne

08:00 Leah Temple Lang vs. Jan Browne

 

Quarter Finals – Friday 21 July

Nicole McGavisk beats Niamh O'Dwyer 2&1

Chloe O'Connor lost to Sara Byrne 6&5

Leah Temple Lang beat Katie O'Hart 19th

Jan Browne beat Anna McVicker 1 hole

Round 1 – Friday 21 July

Olivia McClurg lost to Nicole McGavisk 3&1

Katie Keenan lost to Niamh O'Dwyer 2&1

Emily Walsh lost to Chloe O'Connor 4&2

Fiona Behan lost to Sara Byrne 19th

Shannon Hegarty lost to Leah Temple Lang 20th

Katie O'Hart beat Anna Dawson 3&1

Kaelin O'Keeffe lost to Jan Browne 2&1

Tegan Gordon lost to Anna McVicker 7&6

 

Round 1 – Thursday 20 July

Rachel Thompson (Cork) beat Olivia McClurg (Belvoir Park) 7&5

Emma Forbes (Royal Portrush) beat Nicole McGavisk (Donabate) 2 holes

Georgia Carr (Milltown) beat Katie Keenan (Kilkenny) 2&1

Anna Foster (Elm Park) beat Niamh O'Dwyer (Lahinch) 4&3

Kate Lanigan (Hermitage) beat Emily Walsh (Limerick) 4&3

Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) beat Chloe O'Connor (Roscommon) 3&2

Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) beat Fiona Behan (Killeen) 1 hole

Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) beat Sara Byrne (Douglas) 5&4

Valerie Clancy (Killarney) beat Shannon Hegarty (Ennis) 3&1

Kate Dwyer (Rossmore) beat Leah Temple Lang (Elm Park) 5&4

Katie O'Hart (Arklow) lost to Canice Screen (Hermitage) 1 hole

Ellen O'Gorman (Milltown) beat Anna Dawson (Tramore) 1 hole

Mairead Martin (Kanturk) beat Kaelin O'Keeffe (Tralee) 6&5

Ada Bowler (Lucan) beat Jan Browne (Kilkenny) 2&1

Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) beat Tegan Gordon (Laytown & Bettystown) 8&7

Nicole Joyce Moreno (Spain) beat Anna McVicker (Belvoir Park) 3&2