Ace Mehaffey stuns Meadow

Olivia Mehaffey. Picture copyright irishladiesgolfunion When the world No 7 plays the world No 524, it should be a foregone conclusion. But nobody told Irish Girls Open champion Olivia Mehaffey as she sensationally dumped leading qualifier Stephanie Meadow out of the Irish Women’s Close in the first round at Ballybunion.

The Royal Co. Down Ladies star raced four up against Curtis Cup star Meadow from Royal Portrush when she birdied the second and seventh and had a hole-in-one at the eighth to go four up after 12. 

She also birdied the 13th in a match that produced betterball figures of eight under par but Meadow hit back with birdies of her own to be just one down playing the 18th.

Mehaffey was not overawed, however, and closed out the match in sensational fashion by stitching her approach to gimme range for a closing birdie three and a two up win.

Mehaffey will face past champion Karen Delaney from Carlow in today’s second round while Maria Dunne from Skerries takes on Seapoint’s Carla Reynolds.

Moate’s Amy Farrell will play The Heath’s Mary Doyle, who came through a tight match against her Girls International team mate Ariana Coyle Diez from Elm Park. 

The Maguire twins Leona and Lisa will face each other in one of the matches of the day while Donabate’s Pat Doran will take on Ballyclare’s Hannah Henderson with her confidence sky high following her win over third placed qualifier Lucy Simpson. 

Holywood’s Jessica Carty, another member of the High Performance panel, beat home favourite Emma O’Driscoll and will face past champion Mary Dowling.

Lisburn’s  Paula Grant, who was taken to the 19th by Woodenbridge’s Louise Mernagh, will play Malone’s Louise Coffey, who beat Howth’s Laura Doherty on the 22nd hole. 

Meanwhile 2004 Champion Deirdre Smith from Co. Louth will play Castletroy’s Chloe Ryan, who was second in strokeplay qualifying behind Meadow.

Irish Women’s Amateur Close

Round 2 - Saturday 22nd June

08:30 Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) -v- Karen Delaney (Carlow)

08:39 Maria Dunne (Skerries) -v- Carla Reynolds (Seapoint)

08:48 Amy Farrell (Moate) -v- Mary Doyle (The Heath)

08:57 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) -v- Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell)

09:06 Pat Doran (Donabate) -v- Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare)

09:15 Jessica Carty (Holywood) -v- Mary Dowling (New Ross)

09:24 Louise Coffey (Malone) -v- Paula Grant (Lisburn)

09:33 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) -v- Chloe Ryan (Castletroy)

Round 1 - Friday 21st June

Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) lost to Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) 2up

Karen Delaney (Carlow) bt Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) 3&1     

Maria Dunne (Skerries) bt Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) 4&2

Patrice Delaney (Birr) lost to Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) 1up     

Amy Farrell (Moate) bt Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 3&2

Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) lost to Mary Doyle (The Heath) 1up    

Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) lost to Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 4&3

Holly Robinson (Co. Sligo lost to Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 3&2

Lucy Simpson (Massereene) lost to Pat Doran (Donabate) 1up

Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) bt Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) 1up     

Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion) lost to Jessica Carty (Holywood) 4&2     

Grace McGrath (East Cork) lost to Mary Dowling (New Ross) 7&6

Louise Coffey (Malone) bt Laura Doherty (Howth)  on 22nd

Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) lost to Paula Grant (Lisburn) on 19th

Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) bt Gillian O’Leary (The Island) 5&3

Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) lost to Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) 3&2

Ita Wallace Draw (Plate)

Quarter Final Draw

13:30 Mary Sheehy (Tralee) -v- Lisa O’Shea (Shannon)

13:39 Nicky King (Woodbrook) -v- Chloe Weir (Shandon Park)

14:48 Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) -v- Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle)

13:57 Shannon Heerey (Headfort) -v- Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) 4&3

1st Round

Mary Sheehy (Tralee) bt Jackie Kavanagh (Wicklow) 1up

Lisa O’Shea (Shannon) bt Róisín Brady (Co. Louth) 2&1     

Nicky King (Woodbrook bt Orla Barry (Galway) 2&1  

Chloe Weir (Shandon Park received w/o -v-  Aoife Lowry (Tipperary)      

Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) bt Claire Keating (Killarney) 2&1

Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle) bt Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel) 3&2

Shannon Heerey (Headfort) bt Rachel Taylor (Laytown & Bettystown) 4&2     

Patricia Joyce (Ballybunion) lost to Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) 4&3