East Cork treble dream falls short

While there was disappointment for East Cork in the Private Home Care Ladies Inter-Club Championships at Monkstown yesterday when they lost in the finals of the Minor and Intermediate Cups, there was glory for Killarney in the Senior Foursomes and for Wicklow and Edenmore, the clubs who put paid to East Cork’s hopes of a famous treble, in the other two finals decided on another day at the superbly presented Co Cork course.

Emma Curtin and Phil Sheehan were East Cork’s winners in the Intermediate decider, but the glory went north after Gillian Murphy, Colleen Hanna and Victoria Hannon claimed the necessary three points.

The Minor Cup final was a whole lot closer than the 4-1 scoreline would suggest given in the top match Niamh Murphy for Wicklow had to go all the way to the 20th before getting home against Claire Adams, while it was also nip and tuck before Katie Roche and Phyl Long prevailed at the 18th against Kate Daly and Ruth Evans..

East Cork’s remaining hopes of a green pennant rest with the Junior Foursomes who turned the table on Edenmore with a convincing semi-final triumph. It was a close affair, though, with Mary B Walsh and Breda McCarthy required to play the full 18 holes to win matches against Louise Gaw and Colleen Hanna.

The other match between Ellen Dargan and Catriona McGregor against Gillian Murphy and Stephanie Watson was called in. They now meet Gort, impressive winners over Corrstown, in this morning’s final.

Earlier this year, a youthful Killarney side lost in the final of the Irish Senior Cup to Laytown & Bettystown. Yesterday saw redemption time for the Kerry club as they captured the Inter-Club Senior Foursomes with an exciting victory over Dun Laoighre.

Anne Moynihan-Rudden and Nicola Rainsford posted their first point when beating Fionnuala Halpin and Mai Tann at the 17th before the title was clinched in dramatic fashion as Valerie Clancy and Amy Arthur responded to the pressure in magnificent fashion to win at the first tie hole against Niamh Giblin and Judy Griffffith. Completing a great day for Killarney were Mairead Martin and Christine Carroll.

Meanwhile, Dooks are all set to wind up a memorable week for the Kingdom when they take on Lurgan in the final of the Junior Cup. Their team of Eibhlin McCarthy, Ogie O’Sullivan, Catherine Doyle, Joan Harmon and Mary Inglis produced superb golf in a clear cut win over Kilkenny. But they are in no doubt about the extent of the challenge awaiting them against a Lurgan side comprised of Maeve Cummins, Bronagh McKavanagh, Cara Murphy, Sian Mulholland and Christine Hagan, who were equally impressive in getting the better of Milltown.

Accordingly, this morning’s line-up reads: Junior Foursomes: 10am, East Cork v Edenmore; Junior Cup, 10.40, Dooks v Lurgan; 11.30, Challenge Cup, Galway Bay v Greystones.