Leinster ladies sweep Ulster aside

LEINSTER battled to a 6½-2½ victory on day two of the 2006 Ladies Interprovincials against Ulster at Headfort Golf Club yesterday, while Connacht and Munster got a half point each, tying at 4½-4½.

Leinster beat Ulster 4-2 in the singles, with early wins by Maria Dunne, Jennifer Gannon and Karen Delaney over Naoimh Quigg, Nikki Moore and Maura Diamond respectively. Deirdre Smith grabbed another win for Leinster against Danielle McVeigh.

Ulster took their two afternoon singles points from the experienced Alison Coffey who beat Maura Morrin 3&2 and Helen Jones won by two against Dawn Marie Conaty.

In the foursomes the top match between Leinster’s Maria Dunne/Karen Delaney and Alison Coffey/Danielle McVeigh finished halved.

Deirdre Smith/Mary Dowling edged victory on the 18th against Helen Jones and Naoimh Quigg.

Maura Morrin was partnered by Dawn Marie Conaty in her first outing as a Leinster senior player and they beat Nikki Moore and Bronagh Lunney.

Meanwhile Munster won the singles by a point after Connacht had won the foursomes by the same margin.

Gillian O’Leary, Pamela Murphy and Catherine Tucker were all dominant in their matches against Niamh Kitching, Ann McCormack and Fiona Carroll, while Deirdre Walsh and Sinead O’Sullivan secured the vital wins for Connacht against Ailish Thompson and Holli Snelling.

These points along with a half point secured by Darragh McGowan against Marian Riordan would earn a half point each at the end of the day.

Connacht’s Niamh Kitching and Deirdre Walsh beat Munster’s Marian Riordan and Gillian O’Leary 6&5.

Connacht’s Fiona Carroll and Ann McCormack beat Catherine Tucker and Holli Snelling 5&4, while Munster took a point out of the foursomes with Pamela Murphy and Maura McNicholas beating Sinead O’Sullivan and Darragh McGowan 5&3.