Forrest Little's Julie McCarthy remains on track in the Irish Girls Close Championship after she overcame Aoife Ní Thuama 4 and 3 to progess to the last 16 at Galway Bay Golf Resort.

Rain and wind swept over Galway Bay for the first round of matchplay with the players presented with typical Irish weather conditions as waterproofs and umbrellas were the weapons of choice for the top 32 qualifiers.

McCarthy is joined in the final 16 by defending champion Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) and internationals Mairead Martin (Killarney), Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) and Valerie Clancy (Killarney).

But there was one surprise as Leinster Girls champion Ciara Casey from Hermitage lost 3 and 1 to Clonmel's Gemma McCarthy.

The 16 girls who lost their first round will compete in the Plate today and tomorrow. 

Irish Girls Close Championship, Galway Bay Golf Club

Championship Matchplay — Round Two

1. 08:00 Julie McCarthy (Forest Little) V Rachel Thompson (Cork) 
2. 08:09 Ciara Leonard (Mitchelstown) V Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) 
3. 08:18 Valerie Clancy (Killarney) V Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel) 
4. 08:27 Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) V Grace McGrath (East Cork)
5. 08:36 Mairead Martin (Killarney) V Elisa Corcoran (Grange) 
6. 08:45 Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) V Catriona Griffin (Killarney)
7. 08:54 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) V Molly Dowling (Lucan)
8. 09:03 Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) V Lisa O'Shea Lisa O'Shea (Shannon)

Plate Matchplay — Round One

1. 09:12 Aoife Ní Thuama (Douglas) V Sarah Molloy (Kilkenny) 
2. 09:21 Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown & Bettystown) V Clodagh Coughlan (Douglas)
3. 09:30 Laura Ryan (Dun Laoghaire) W/O from Ciara Casey (Hermitage)
4. 09:39 Aine Donegan (Woodstock) V Sarah Burke (Mullingar)
5. 09:48 Anna Foster (Elm Park) gave W/O to Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo)
6. 09:57 Alice Hutchinson (St. Anne's) V Ellen O'Gorman (Milltown)
7. 10:06 Aideen Walsh (Woodstock) gave W/O to Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden)
8. 10:15 Clare Calvert (RCDL) V Maeve Cummins (Lurgan)

Championship Matchplay — Round One 

1. Julie McCarthy (Forest Little) beat Aoife Ní Thuama (Douglas) 4&3     
2. Sarah Molloy (Kilkenny) lost to Rachel Thompson (Cork) 4&3     
3. Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown & Bettystown) lost to Ciara Leonard (Mitchelstown) 3&2     
4. Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) beat Clodagh Coughlan (Douglas) 5&4   
5. Valerie Clancy (Killarney) beat Laura Ryan (Dun Laoghaire) on the 20th    
6. Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel) beat Ciara Casey (Hermitage) 3&1     
7. Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) beat Aine Donegan (Woodstock) 5&4     
8. Sarah Burke (Mullingar) lost to Grace McGrath (East Cork) on the 19th     
9. Mairead Martin (Killarney) beat Anna Foster (Elm Park) 6&5     
10. Elisa Corcoran (Grange) beat Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) 2&1     
11. Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) beat Alice Hutchinson (St. Anne's) 5&4     
12. Catriona Griffin (Killarney) beat Ellen O'Gorman (Milltown) 4&3     
13. Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) beat Aideen Walsh (Woodstock) 5&4     
14. Molly Dowling (Lucan) beat Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) 1up     
15. Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) beat Clare Calvert (RCDL) 4&2     
16. Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) beat Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) 4&3