Coughlan inspires Munster to stunning victory

INSPIRED by Claire Coughlan, who defeated Curtis Cup reserve Martina Gillen in the top singles match, Munster cast aside the Leinster bogey on the opening day of the AIB Bank Ladies Senior Golf Interpros at Mount Wolseley, Carlow yesterday.

Munster had entered the afternoon test with a 2-1 deficit after the morning foursomes and needed five of the eight singles if they were to inflict defeat on a Leinster side seeking nine in a row of titles.

And the southern province achieved their target in emphatic fashion as Coughlan, Tricia Mangan, Marian Riordan, Eileen Rose Power and Sheila Galvin gained the necessary points to record a notable victory. The Coughlan-Gillen clash aroused tremendous interest as the Cork Golf Club player and former Irish Close Champion needed a morale boosting victory after a somewhat low key season by her standards.

After an exchange of early birdies there was little in it after 12 holes, but then Coughlan proceeded to win three on the trot from the 13th to end the contest at the 16th.

Particularly impressive was her play into a cross-wind at the 420 yards par-four 15th, which she reached with a drive and a majestic three wood for a winning par. Gillen, a quality player, was just short with a five iron and her chipping at this stage of the contest was to cost her dearly. Munster’s second singles point came from Ennis’s Tricia Mangan who won five of the first six holes against Maria Dunne and never allowed the Leinster player a chance to recover before ending it at the 12th.

It was a day to savour also for Tipperary’s 21-year-old Marian Riordan who rose to the occasion in splendid style with a 3 and 2 success over Suzanne Phillips. Riordan, who teamed up with Eileen Rose Power to give Munster their only victory in the foursomes, was always in command and sank a testing downhill 13 ft putt at the 16th to edge Munster ever closer.

As was to be expected, Eileen Rose Power brought all her experience into play to defeat Mary Dowling at the 17th and the southern province now needed just one more point to dent fancied Leinster’s challenge.

Limerick’s Sheila Galvin, a dentistry student at Trinity, answered the call with an outstanding display. The 21-year-old got the start she needed against Co Louth’s Jenny Gannon, being three to the good after five holes.

She went five ahead after birdies at the 7th and 8th and although she lost the 9th, 13th and 15th her ten-foot putt for a winning par at the 16th gave Munster the clinching point in the overall 6-5 victory.

A satisfactory day also for Cork’s Gillian O’Leary who brought international Sinead Keane to the 17th in a tie that marked her interprovincial debut.

There was further good news for Munster when Connacht and Ulster tied their match at 5 points apiece. The western province took the foursomes 2-1 and Ulster did well to gain a point when Emma Dickson and Nikki Moore won the last hole against Suzanne Corcoran and Michelle Holmes.

Connacht raced into a 4-1 lead with wins from Darragh McGowan and Corcoran in the opening singles matches but Ulster hit back and looked like securing the overall honours when Jill McAuley held a one-hole lead playing the last against Sarah Gallagher.

The Ulster lady found the water, however, with her approach shot and Gallagher, with a brand new putter, holed from four feet for a match-saving bogey.

Today Munster play Ulster and Connacht take on holders Leinster.