AIG Cups and Shields: Lee Valley get in before the dark

Lee Valley were crowned Minor Cup champions but Killarney and Cahir Park will have to wait until today to find out if they have won an All Ireland pennant after a dramatic day in the AIG Ladies Cups and Shields Finals at Malone.

Both the AIG Senior Cup and Intermediate Cup finals were suspended until today due to lack of light as they headed down the 21st and 23rd holes respectively on a thrilling third day.

As their Munster sisters were left in suspense, Lee Valley beat Mountbellew 4-1 to claim the Minor Cup and their third All Ireland in five years.

Wins for Rose Driscoll and Breda O’Callaghan left them on the brink before Deirdre Lee secured the win for the Cork club.

Said team captain Angela Corcoran: “This is our third All-Ireland, we have won two Intermediate Cups and now a Minor Cup in the last five years, it’s a huge honour for our 25-year-old club!”

In the AIG Intermediate Cup final, Carton House and Cahir Park were tied 2-2 and after both Patricia Browne and Ann McQuillan missed chances for victory at the 19th and 20th.

There was still no winner after four extra holes and with darkness falling, the managers agreed to suspend play and continue today.

It was just as dramatic in the AIG Senior Foursomes, which was deadlocked at 1-1 with the final match between Killarney’s Rosemary and Paula Quinn and Roscommon’s Eimear O’Donnell and Amy Arthur suspended after 20 holes.

It was a day to forget for Mountbellew, who went to Malone with three teams and came away empty-handed.

Following the Intermediate Cup side’s defeat in the quarter-finals on Wednesday and defeat in the Minor Cup yesterday, the Galway club’s Challenge Cup team fell 4-1 to Fintona in the semi-finals, who now go on to face Malahide, 3.5-1.5 winners over Doneraile, in today’s final.

Limerick will face Athenry in the AIG Junior Cup final with wins for Fiona McGann, Emily Walsh and Heather Fitzgerald giving them a 3-2 win over Stackstown as the Galway club cruised to a 4-1 win over Royal Curragh.

In the AIG Junior Foursomes, Ballykisteen beat Woodbrook 2-1 and now face Portumna, who had a comfortable 3-0 win over The Heath, in today’s final.

See Digest for Results