Tara Delaney leads the qualifiers in Championship

Carlow's Tara Delaney led the qualifiers in the Lancôme Irish Ladies’

Close Championship at blustery Lahinch.

The Kent State University student carded a four under par 70 to

finish one stroke ahead of Galway's Sinead O'Sullivan on four over

par 150 and will Tipperary's Charlotte Crowe in Monday's first round

draw.

As Saturday’s gales abated, Delaney birdied the first, fifth, eighth

and ninth to turn in two under and followed up with further birdies

at the 12th, 14th and 15th for a best of the day 70.

Killarney's Holli Snelling had a double celebration when she followed

her eagle at the first with a hole-in-one with a six-iron at the 133

yard 11th hole.

Defending champion Tricia McDonnell made it safely through to the

matchplay stages after a 76 but Darragh McGowan of Ballybofey

Stranorlar lost out in the five way play off for the last four places.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES (CSS 80, 74):

150 Tara Delaney (Carlow) 80 70

151 Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway) 74 77

156 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 83 73 Niamh Kitching (Claremorris)

80 76

158 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) 85 73 Sinead Keane (The Curragh) 80 78 159 Marian Riordan (Tipperary) 80 79 Mary Dowling (New Ross) 79 80 160 Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth) 87 73 Eileen Rose Power (Kilkenny) 81 79 161 Maria Dunne (Skerries) 84 77 Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne) 83 78 162 Karen Delaney (Carlow) 85 77 163 Margaret Hayes (Tralee) 88 75 Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle) 83 80

Holli Snelling (Killarney) 82 81

164 Ciara Butler (Newlands) 86 78

166 Tricia McDonnell (Ennis) 90 76 Catherine Tucker (Limerick) 89 77 167 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 88 79 Vivienne Houston (City of

Derry) 86 81

168 Gertie McMullen (The Island) 86 82 Mary McKenna (Donabate) 81 87 169 Maura Morrin (The Curragh) 90 79 Orla Barry (Galway) 87 82 170 Ann Marie Dalton (Coollattin) 89 81 Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew) 86

84 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 86 84

171 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) 97 74 Vicki Power (Dundalk) 91 80

Karen O'Neill (Douglas) 90 81 Charlotte Crowe (Tipperary) 85 86 ITA WALLACE TROPHY: 171 Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) 92 79 172 Sarah Crowe (Tipperary) 89 83 173 Ann Geoghegan (Athlone) 96 77 Kate Gallagher (Claremorris) 93 80 174 Sheena O'Brien-Kenney (Grange) 92 82 Sandra Atkinson (Woodbrook)

89 85 Anne McCormack (Roscommon) 84 90

175 Yvonne Daly-Ryan (Tipperary) 95 80 Jean Farrell (Youghal) 86 89 176 Helen Jones (Strabane) 88 88 178 Sarah Carty (The Island) 96 82 179 Ailish McCartan (Greenore) 91 88 Hannah McInerney (Gort) 89 90 180 Claire McGonagle (Whitekirk) 94 86 181 Shauna O'Brien (Clonmel) 98 83 Anna O'Brien (Athlone) 92 89 NON-QUALIFIERS 182 Val Shannon (Douglas) 97 85 Hannah O'Connor (Loughrea) 93 89 183 Carmel Kearney (Mallow) 98 85 184 Judith McGann (Gort) 92 92 185 Fiona Healy (Headfort) 100 85 Zarah O'Reilly (Castle) 98 87 Mary

Geaney (Killarney) 95 90 Hannah O'Brien (Lahinch) 92 93 Naoimh

McMahon (Shannon) 85 100

187 Mary-T Real (Ballykisteen) 92 95

188 Fiona Carroll (Athenry) 92 96

193 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 105 88 Majella Hallinan (Ballykisteen)

103 90

194 Theresa Delahunty (Rathowney) 99 95 Karen Twomey (Spanish Point)

97 97

196 Lynda Maher (Charleville) 94 102

197 Marie Carr (Athenry) 103 94

206 Maria Cahill (Abbeyleix) 104 102

207 Julie Barkman (Nenagh) 114 93 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) 107 100