Gillen’s extra hole victory does the trick

BEAVERSTOWN’S Martina Gillen spared Ireland’s blushes yesterday when she edged to an extra hole victory to give her country the narrowest of successes against the Czech Republic in the European Ladies’ Team Golf Championship at Frankfurt.

With the match in the second flight finely balanced at three apiece, Gillen, a student at Kent State University in America, embarked on the 19th hole against Stanislava Kopeitkova and a birdie three produced victory for a very relieved Irish side.

Earlier, the foursomes had been shared one apiece, but Vagliano Trophy team member Tricia Mangan from Ennis and 45-year-old new cap Hellen Jones both lost their singles to bring about the knife-edge climax.