Super Saturday at Knightsbrook
Knightsbrook Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort.
Darkness halted play in the AIG Ladies Cup and Shields Finals where the destiny all six green pennants will be decided on what promises to be a Super Saturday at Knightsbrook Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort.
The start was delayed by two hours and 45 minutes due to torrential rain and with nine matches scheduled, the finals of the Senior Foursomes, the Intermediate Cup and the Minor Cup were left unfinished at sunset and must resume at 9 am today.
In the Senior Foursomes, Limerick were well in touch with Massereene with no more than one hole in each game though the Ulster champions were up in two of the three matches.
Mullingar were leading in two of the five matches and square in the other three in the AIG Intermediate Cup final clash with Loughrea.
As for the AIG Minor Cup final, New Forest led Kilmashogue 1-0 with the remaining four matches in the balance with three holes to play.
There was good news for Munster golf with Limerick and East Cork both through to finals.
East Cork beat Rathcore 3.5-1.5 in the AIG Challenge Cup semi-finals thanks to big wins for Orla Evans (4&3), Aileen O’Sullivan (9&7) and Linda Cuddigan (8&7).
They will face Tulfarris, who beat Co Sligo 3-2, in today’s final and East Cork captain Anne O’Connell was thrilled.
“It looks more comfortable that it was,” she said. “We knew it was going to be tough against a local team but we are absolutely delighted. We had three on the team who we helped through the Get Into Golf Scheme so what you put into golf, you get out off it."
Limerick beat Newlands 3.5-1.5 and will face Enniscorthy in the final of the AIG Junior Cup seeking revenge for their 2015 defeat to the Wexford side at the same venue.
Two matches went to extra holes but as Siobhan Conway headed up the 21st against Leonie Colgan, Limerick’s Elaine Morris beat Neasa McKieran on the 19th in clinch victory
Deirdre O’Malley, who stood in for Senior Foursomes players Fiona McGann as captain, was delighted with the team’s grit.
“We are absolutely thrilled,” she said. “It was a very exciting match and two went down the 19th and 21st so we are delighted to get over the line.
Winners of the Junior Cup two years ago, they are looking to avenge their 2015 defeat to Enniscorthy in the event despite the gruelling nature of the event on a long, soft course.
“We are running on adrenaline now,” Deirdre added. “It’s been a great year for the club with three men’s teams in All Ireland finals and two of them have come home with pennants so we are looking forward to joining them.”
Enniscorthy beat Co Armagh 3.5-1.5 in the other semi-final thanks to wins for Eimear McGrath, former Wexford camogie captain Stellah Sinnott and Nicola Jacob, who was four down after four.
In the AIG Junior Foursomes, Portumna will be seeking their second win in three years when they face face Mullingar in today’s decider
The Galway club beat Castlereagh Hills 2.5-0.5 as Mullingar edged out Dromoland 2-1 with two matches going to the 18th.
“It was a super win and we are hoping to bring home the gold again,” said Portumna’s Bernie Kilmartin, a veteran of the 2017 team, after partnering Brid Kelly to a 6&5 win in the top match.
“The experience we have means we have the resilience to keep going when the chips are down. Yesterday, we lost the 15th to go flat and won 16th and 17th to get it done.
“Age comes in as well, I suppose, and we are all very seasoned players at this stage so that helps. Our team captain Anne Fahy managed the team in 2017 and she is a very good manager.”
Mullingar captain Anne Hannon was equally ecstatic after Helen Moorehead and Mario Bate beat Mary Arthur and Karina Doyle won the 18th to secure the winning point.
“Words can’t describe how I am feeling right now,” she said. “I have a great panel.
"Julie Fitzgerald and Saibh McDermott lost but they were five down at one stage and took their match to the 18th. Then the last match were nervous but they picked their best club on 18 and got it done.”
AIG Ladies Cup and Shields Finals, Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort
AIG Junior Cup Semi Finals:
Limerick 3.5 Newlands 1.5 (Limerick names first)
M Conlon bt E Coghlan 3&2;
H Fitzgerald bt R Cunningham 2hls;
S Conway halved with L Colgan (called-in);
A O’Mahony lost to L Murphy 3&2;
E Morris bt N McKiernan 19th
Enniscorthy 3.5 Co. Armagh 1.5 (Enniscorthy names first)
E McGrath bt L McMullan 1H;
C Hogan lost to P McCrory 1H;
M Mooney halved with A Mawhinney (called-in);
S Sinnott bt T McVeigh 4&3;
N Jacob bt J McCarten 3&2.
AIG Junior Foursomes Semi Finals
Castlereagh Hills 0.5 Portumna 2.5 (Castlereagh Hills names first)
C Nicholas & J McCaffrey lost to B Kilmartin & B Kelly 6&5;
D Gibson & S Shaw lost to M McElroy & R Madden 7&5;
G Irwin & S Carville halved with K Lynch & M Madden (called-in).
Mullingar (2) Dromoland (1) (Mullingar names first)
R Whelehan & A Daly Glennon bt T McGuire & K O’Neill 4&2;
B Carroll & J Carroll lost to J Fitzgerald & S McDermott 2hls;
H Moorhead & M Bate bt M Arthur & K Doyle 1H.
AIG Challenge Cup Semi Finals:
Rathcore 1 East Cork 4 (Rathcore names first)
K Dermody lost to O Evans 4&3;
N Sheridan bt with C Goldspring 6&5;
C Kennedy halved with N Kelleher (called-in);
A Maher lost to A O’Sullivan 9&7;
L Rooney lost to L Cuddigan 8&7.
Co. Sligo 2, Tulfarris 3 (Co. Sligo names first)
C Frazer bt R Edwards 1H;
M O’Sullivan lost to A Finnegan 8&7;
P McElhone lost to C O’Mahony 19th;
O McDermott bt M Solan 2 hls;
S Flanagan lost to I Masterson 4&2
Today:
09:00 Resume Senior Foursomes Final: Limerick v Massereene;
10:00 Junior Cup Final: Limerick v Enniscorthy;
10:40 Junior Foursomes Final: Portumna v Mullingar;
11:00 Resume Minor Cup Final: New Forest v Kilmashogue;
11:00 Resume Intermediate Cup Final: Mullingar v Loughrea;
11:30 Challenge Cup Final: East Cork v Tulfarris.