Donabate's Pat Doran added a three over par 76 to her opening 74 to lead the qualifiers at the ILGU’s Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship at Athenry.

In the worst of the blustery conditions, the Donabate seniors’ international led the field by three strokes from defending champion Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) and now faces a tricky first round assignment against past cricket international Lily Owens (Malahide).

Corcoran’s 76 and 77 sees her meet the ILGU Chief Executive Sinead Heraty in the opening round while overnight joint leader Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) meets local favourite Maria McNamara (Athenry).

The top 16 qualifiers continue playing in the four-round Championship matchplay with players in positions seventeen through thirty-two qualifying for a Plate matchplay.

The champions of both echelons will be crowned on Friday afternoon.

IRISH SENIOR WOMEN’S CLOSE CHAMPIONSHIP – ATHENRY, 1–4 JULY
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1

• 09:12 Pat Doran (Donabate) v Lily Owens (Malahide)
• 09:21 Mary Dowling (Mallow) v Helen Jones (Royal Portrush)
• 09:30 Sheena McElroy (Grange) v Maria McNamara (Athenry)
• 09:39 Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook) v Laura Webb (East Berkshire)
• 09:48 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) v Elizabeth Neville (Bearna)
• 09:57 Fiona McComb (Ballycastle) v Gertie McMullen (The Island)
• 10:06 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) v Mary MacLaren (Wellingborough)
• 10:15 Sinead Heraty (Castle) v Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna)

CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING SCORES (PAR 73 SSS 74 CSS 74 75)

150 Pat Doran (Donabate) 74 76

153 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) 76 77

155 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) 74 81

158 Laura Webb (East Berkshire) 76 82

159 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 75 84

160 Gertie McMullen (The Island) 84 76 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 77 83

161 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) 82 79

163 Mary Dowling (Mallow) 83 80

164 Mary MacLaren (Wellingborough) 78 86

166 Fiona McComb (Ballycastle) 83 83 Maria McNamara (Athenry) 82 84

167 Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook) 84 83 Elizabeth Neville (Bearna) 81 86 Sinead Heraty (Castle) 79 88

168 Lily Owens (Malahide) 83 85

PLATE ROUND 1

• 08:00 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) v Valerie Shannon (Lahinch)
• 08:09 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) v Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore)
• 08:18 Marie Carr (Athenry) v Mary Geaney (Killarney)
• 08:27 Gemma Butler (Birr) v Kate Evans (RCD Ladies)
• 08:36 Mary Duane (Hermitage) v Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam)
• 08:45 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) v Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
• 08:54 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) v Marjorie Ahern (Lahinch)
• 09:03 Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) v Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire)

PLATE QUALIFYING SCORES (PAR 73 SSS 74 CSS 74 75)

168 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 81 87 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 77 91

169 Mary Duane (Hermitage) 87 82

170 Kate Evans (RCD Ladies) 86 84 Marie Carr (Athenry) 84 86

172 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 90 82

173 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) 83 90

174 Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore) 88 86

175 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 88 87 Marjorie Ahern (Lahinch) 83 92

176 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 84 92

178 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 94 84

180 Gemma Butler (Birr) 92 88 Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam) 90 90 Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) 90 90 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) 89 91

Not available for Matchplay

171 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 83 88

177 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) 90 87

177 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) 88 89

NON QUALIFIERS (PAR 73 SSS 74 CSS 74 75)

181 Anne Wynne (Tullamore) 91 90

182 Lucia Farrell (Royal Tara) 94 88 Kate O'Meara (Bearna) 90 92 Fiona Glass (Ballycastle) 90 92

183 Yvonne MacSweeney (Wexford) 89 94 Marie Conlon (The Heath) 87 96

184 Michele Quinn (Dundalk) 92 92 Mary Kinsella (Tullamore) 83 101

188 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 94 94 Síghle Henigan (Ballybunion) 92 96

189 Helen Egan (Tullamore) 96 93

WD Catherine Carty (Tullamore) RTD WD