McMullen three clear in Birr
Gertie McMullen
Defending champion Gertie McMullen made a flying start in Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship at Birr.
Her impressive, two under 71 gave her a three shot lead overt Laytown & Bettystown’s Carol Wickham and Tralee’s Mary Sheehy.
The chasing pack also include Maria O’Reilly (Headfort) on 75 and Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) on 76.
The field will play a further 18 holes over the immaculate parkland layout on Wednesday with the top 16 qualifying for matchplay over the following two days.
Players in positions 17-32 will qualify for the Plate matchplay.
Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship Round 1 (Par 73 SSS 73 CSS 73)
71 Gertie McMullen (The Island)
74 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) Mary Sheehy (Tralee)
75 Maria O'Reilly (Headfort)
76 Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush)
77 Catherine Bird (Nenagh) Laura Webb (East Berkshire) Helen Jones (Royal Portrush)
78 Sheena Mc Elroy (Grange) Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) Paula Murray (Naas)
79 Emer Kirwan (Kiliney) Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) Valerie Hassett (Ennis)
80 Fiona Corbett (Castletroy) Mary Dowling (Mallow) Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion) Pat Doran (Donabate) Pauline Walsh (Headfort)
81 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) Margaret Hayes (Tralee)
82 Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam) Kate Evans (Royal Co. Down Ladies) Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
83 Rita O'Neill (Callan)
84 Vera Smyth (Birr) Catherine Reilly (The Heath) Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) Gemma Butler (Birr)
85 Mary Duane (Hermitage)
86 Breda Ryan (Callan) Yvonne Mac Sweeney (Wexford) Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Siobhan McGrath (Athlone) Honoria Fogarty (Castlecomer)
87 Mary Kinsella (Tullamore) Stephanie Mac Grath (Lahinch) Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell)
88 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) Hazel Henderson (Royal Portrush)
89 Majorie Ahern (Lahinch) Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore)
90 Fiona Glass (Ballycastle) Catherine Carty (Tullamore) Elizabeth Neville (Bearna)
90 Christine Carroll (Killarney)
91 Julie Barkman (Nenagh) Nicky Smyth (Royal Portrush) Mary Mather (Cill Dara)
92 Mary Geaney (Killarney)
93 Kathleen Burke (Connemara)
95 Angela Cullinan (Lahinch) Mary Sadlier (Lahinch)
Qualifying Round 2 - Wednesday 29th June
- 09:30 Mary Kinsella (Tullamore) Gemma Butler (Birr) Majorie Ahern (Lahinch)
- 09:40 Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) Fiona Corbett (Castletroy) Valerie Shannon (Lahinch)
- 09:50 Siobhan McGrath (Athlone) Honoria Fogarty (Castlecomer) Mary Sadlier (Lahinch)
- 10:00 Vera Smyth (Birr) Julie Barkman (Nenagh) Elizabeth Neville (Bearna)
- 10:10 Catherine Carty (Tullamore) Angela Cullinan (Lahinch) Mary Mather (Cill Dara)
- 10:20 Stephanie McNiff (Tullamore) Fiona Glass (Ballycastle) Paula Murray (Naas)
- 10:30 Yvonne Mac Sweeney (Wexford) Christine Carroll (Killarney) Mary Sheehy (Tralee)
- 10:40 Kathleen Burke (Connemara) Kathleen Moylan (Tullamore) Mary Geaney (Killarney)
- 10:50 Hazel Henderson (Royal Portrush) Emer Kirwan (Killiney) Stephanie Mac Grath (Lahinch)
- 11:00 Laura Webb (East Berkshire) Mary Dowling (Mallow) Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush)
- 11:10 Gertie McMullen (The Island) Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) Helen Jones (Royal Portrush)
- 11:20 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) Mary Duane (Hermitage) Sheena Mc Elroy (Grange)
- 11:30 Pat Doran (Donabate) Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
- 11:40 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) Maria O'Reilly (Headfort) Catherine Reilly (The Heath)
- 11:50 Kate Evans (Royal Co. Down Ladies) Nicky Smyth (Royal Portrush) Pauline Walsh (Headfort)
- 12:00 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) Margaret Hayes (Tralee)
- 12:10 Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion) Breda Ryan (Callan) Catherine Bird (Nenagh)
- 12:20 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Rita O'Neill (Callan) Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell)
- 12:30 Anne Wemyss (Callan) Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam) Pamela Morgan (Lahinch)
