Ulster reclaims Interpros as Leinster girls complete hat trick
Danielle Colgan (Team Manager) and Stephanie McNiff (Team Captain) with the winning Leinster Girls Interprovincial team (from left) Jan Browne, Canice Screene, Katie O'Hart, Emma Thorne, Lech Temple Lang, Anna Foster and Emma Fleming at the 2018 ILGU Interprovincial Matches at Castle Dargan Golf Resort. Picture by Pat Cashman
Ulster beat Leinster 5-3 to win the Women's Interprovincials as Leinster claimed Girls' crown for the third year running with a 6-2 win over Ulster at Castle Dargan in Sligo.
The Leinster Girls won 18.5 points from a possible 24 with Emma Fleming ensuring her team could not be beaten by closing her match against Rebekah Gardner 4&3.
The 13-year-old from Elm Park looks like one to watch and already has a multitude of experience under her belt including a victory over Senior International Lauren Walsh in last week’s Leinster Girls’ Championship.
In another highlight, Connacht’s Chloe O’Connor holed her 121-yard pitching wedge on the par 3 11th for her first hole-in-one as opponent Anna Dawson looked on in awe.
The women’s matches were a much tighter affair and although Leinster had clinched two of the morning foursomes, the teams were tied with 10 holes to go.
Wins for Lucy Simpson and Louise Coffey swung the tie in Ulster’s favour and when Jessica Ross and Chloe Weir duly followed, another win for Ulster at Castle Dargan was confirmed.
“We had nice memories coming back here again for Interpros after five years,” said Jessica Ross, who was on the winning team in 2013.
“Back then we had Paula [Grant], Lisa and Leona [Maguire] on the team, but we were definitely strong again this year and it’s nice to get the trophy back after two years!”
Connacht and Munster halved the other tie and finished on equal points to share third place behind Leinster.
Women’s Interprovincials
Ulster 5, Leinster 3 (Ulster names first)
Foursomes
- J Ross & L Coffey lost to M Doyle & C Casey 3&2;
- C Weir & L Simpson lost to D Smith & G Carr 1h;
- N McSherry & M Cummins bt M Dowling & D Walsh 5&4.
Singles
- Simpson bt Doyle 3&2;
- Coffey bt M Dowling 3&2;
- Ross bt Smith 2&1;
- Weir bt L Walsh 1hole;
- McSherry lost to Casey 1h.
Munster 4, Connacht 4 (Munster names first)
Foursomes
- C Griffin & R Thompson lost to S Burke & A McCormack 2 holes;
- L O’Shea & S Cunningham lost to M Kelly & K Gallagher 3&2;
- P Walsh & A Walsh bt C Staunton & Sarah Burke 2&1.
Singles
- Thompson lost to Shannon Burke 4&3;
- Cunningham bt Staunton 2&1;
- S Sexton bt McCormack 6&5;
- A Walsh bt Gallagher 3&2;
- Griffin lost to Kelly 4&2
Final: 1, Ulster 3 pts; 2 Leinster 2 pts; 3, Munster, Connacht 0.5 pts
Girls’ Interprovincials
Ulster 2, Leinster 6 (Ulster names first)
Foursomes
- K Poots & C Brennan lost to A Foster & J Browne 4&3;
- R Gardner & M O’Hara bt L Temple Lang & E Thorne 2 holes;
- A McVicker & O McCrystal lost to E Fleming & K O’Hart 5&4.
Singles
- Poots lost to Foster 7&6;
- McVicker bt C Screene 2&1;
- Gardner lost to Fleming 4&3;
- McCrystal lost to Browne 2 holes;
- O’Hara lost to O’Hart 1 holes.
Munster 5.5, Connacht 2.5 (Munster names first)
Foursomes
- N O’Dwyer & L O’Shea bt C O’Connor & A Bowler 3&2;
- A Dawson & C Griffin bt S Lohan & V Conlon 5&3;
- S Hegarty & E Walsh bt A Greham & K Coleman 2&1.
Singles
- O’Dwyer lost to Bowler 2h;
- Dawson bt C O’Connor 2&1;
- J Barry halved with Lohan;
- Griffin halved with Greham;
- O’Shea halved with Coleman.
Final: 1, Leinster 3pts; 2, Ulster 1pt; 3, Connacht 1pt; 4, Munster 1pt.
