Delaney and Gillen lead the charge for Leinster

THE scene is set for a battle between Leinster and Munster on Day 3 of the Ladies Interprovincials at the Royal Belfast golf course.

A convincing 3/0 foursomes victory over Connacht on Tuesday morning was enough to keep titleholders Leinster in contention, while determined singles displays from Munster against Ulster means the Southerners remain in with a shout for the top prize.

In the foursomes action, Leinster took a commanding lead, winning all their matches. Tara Delaney and Martina Gillen hammered Ann Geoghegan and Sarah Gallagher 6/5, while the top match pairing of Maria Dunne and Sinéad Keane beat Sinéad O’Sullivan and Darragh McGowan on the 18th. Deirdre Smith and Maura Morrin also won 2/1 against Niamh Kitching and Deirdre Walsh.

Munster and Ulster had a slightly closer contest with Munster taking two from the three morning matches. Tricia Mangan and Catherine Tucker beat Ulster’s Helen Jones and Naoimh Quigg 4/3. In the following match, Heather Nolan and Gillian O’Leary defeated Shauna McVeigh and Nikki Taggart. However, Ulster fought back, and Gemma Hegarty and Nikki Moore defeated Claire Coughlan and Marian Riordan to leave it close heading into the singles games.

Karen and Tara Delaney of Carlow, along with Sinéad Keane from the Curragh, produced the best displays for Leinster in the singles. But it was Under 18 Connacht golfer Laura Holmes from Enniscrone who registered the best win when she beat Leinster’s Mary Dowling 5 & 4. Munster’s finest singles performance came from Tipperary’s Marian Riordan who beat Irish international Helen Jones.