Killarney women make history after Senior Cup victory

Killarney created history last weekend when the club won the ILGU Senior Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

Killarney lined out the same team that beat the Island in the previous day’s semi-final whereas Royal Portrush made one change and substituted Naoimh Quigg in for Helen Jones for the final at Royal Curragh.

The Munster side made a strong start as internationals Mairead Martin and Valerie Clancy and Munster representative Kelly Brotherton all went two up early on in their matches.

However, the match was still all to play for as both Emma Forbes and Hannah Henderson for Royal Portrush also went up early in their matches.

After the turn, Killarney were still leading in the first three matches but Lucy Simpson was chipping back at the early lead afforded to Martin, the winner of the Irish Girls Close and a member of the victorious Irish Home Internationals team, leaving everything still to play for.

Clancy was the first result in as she finished 4&3 over Gemma McClenaghan, followed shortly after by Brotherton who also sealed a 4&3 victory. As Royal Portrush up in both the last two games, it was all down to the first match in which Martin was now two up with 2 holes to play.

With a birdie on the 17th, the match was now won and Killarney were crowned Senior Cup champions for the first time in the club’s history.