All to play for as Ireland ladies surrender advantage

IRELAND’S hopes of winning the Ladies’ Amateur Home International golf championship for the first time for 16 years were dealt a blow yesterday when they yielded a foursomes advantage to go down 5-4 to Wales.

They still go into the third, and final, day in this round robin series with a chance of securing the crown - in fact all the four countries are in contention each having gained one point.

It will depend on today’s matches which bring together Wales, whose only success came at Dornoch in 1999, and England, winners nine times in the last ten years; and Scotland looking for their first triumph since 1991 and Ireland. It could come down to a countback of individual points gained and, at the moment, England top the table with 9½ games won. Wales and Ireland are level on 9 and Scotland have 8½ - it could not be tighter. Ireland got off to a flying start against Wales winning two of the three foursomes but it always looked as though the top singles match would be the decisive one with Curtis Cup player Alison Coffey taking on former British strokeplay champion Becky Brewerton who feels she has a point to prove after being left out of the cup side which lost to the USA.

It was very close early on and 29-year-old Coffey edged in front at the third but that was the only hole she was to win. Brewerton levelled almost immediately and went to the turn in two under par 34 at which stage she was one up.

The Welsh golfer won the 11th with a birdie and the 12th to go three ahead and as hard as she fought, Coffey could not bridge the gap and lost by 4 and 2. Young Heather Nolan found Anna Highgate in inspirational form and she had seven birdies thrown at her as she crashed 8 and 6 while the experienced Eileen Rose Power could not handle Kate Phillips and lost 4 and 3.

The final nail was knocked into the Ireland coffin when Sinead Keane succumbed 2 and 1 to Jo Pritchard who won three out of four holes from the 8th to take command.

Tricia Mangan, who is enjoying a splendid week, edged out new Curtis Cup international Sarah Jones on the home green while Martina Gillen, a Cup reserve, beat Louise Davis 3 and 1 in a game of fluctuating fortunes.

For this morning’s foursomes session against Scotland, Irish skipper Mary McKenna has introduced a new pairing in Power and Marian Riordan. McKenna said after yesterday’s defeat: “Of course it is disappointing but the standard is so high. I felt at the beginning of the week there was not much to choose between any of the sides. Now it is all to play for.”