Terrific Tricia’s last green victory helps Britain and Ireland retain trophy

IRISH champion Tricia Mangan played a starring role as Britain and Ireland retained the Vagliano Trophy with a stirring final session singles display to deny the Continent of Europe at Chantilly at the weekend.

The 31-year-old Limerick prison officer secured a vital last-green victory over Swiss ace Sheila Lee as Great Britain and Ireland triumphed 13-11.

Level 6-6 overnight they shared the morning foursomes so went into the final afternoon still level pegging at 8-8.

Mangan who plays out of the Ennis club and was a member of the side which regained the Trophy at County Louth two years ago after four successive reverses needed to win as in mid-afternoon it was nip and tuck and the result hung in the balance.

“It was quite tense and I knew my game might prove crucial,” she said.

The win over Lee gave Mangan three points out of four for the two-day contest - a record bettered only by England’s Sophie Walker who won all her four matches.

Beaverstown’s Martina Gillen, the holder of the Helen Holm Trophy, got the point that made certain Great Britain and Ireland were once again the winners when she defeated Spaniard Emma Cabrera.

Cork’s Curtis Cup star and former Irish champion Claire Coughlan was beaten on the final afternoon by Maria Hernandez but by then it did not matter as the trophy had been retained.

Captain Ada O’Sullivan was ecstatic. “This was a great team performance - everyone contributed. Now for the Curtis Cup.”

Second day results - (Great Britain and Ireland names first): Foursomes - S Walker and K Smith beat P Lindberg and M Hernandez 3&2; T Mangan and F Johnson beat B Mozo and A Zwanck one hole; C Queen and H MacRae lost to S Lee and E Cabrera 6&5; A Laing and C Coughlan lost to A Vilatte and A Caudal 2&1.

Foursomes - GB and I 2 Continent of Europe 2. Singles: Walker beat Zwanck 3&1; Mangan beat Lee one hole; Smith beat Mozo 6&5; Queen lost to Caudal 2&1; Johnson beat Villatte 4&3; Coughlan lost to Hernandez 2&1; M Gillen beat Cabrera 2&1; Laing lost to Lindberg 3&2.

Singles - GB and I 7 Continent of Europe 5.

Match result - GB and I 13 Europe 11.