Tracy Eakin took another step closer to retaining her Irish Senior Women’s Close title as the Dooks golfer secured the two all-important victories on quarter-final Thursday in Kilkeel. 

The weather has been a talking point all week and the County Down course was once again host to varying conditions in the extreme, as heavy rain and glorious sunshine made appearances in equal measure.  

The overnight showers caused the morning tee times to be delayed by 30 minutes with green staff working hard in the early hours to clear greens of standing water before play was allowed to go ahead. 

Eakin began her day with a 4&3 victory over Sorcha Begley (Bundoran) in the morning rain of the last 16 round, before defeating Alison Taylor (Malahide) 3&2 in the quarter finals. A solid day’s work from the Dooks golfer on another challenging day. 

“Made a couple of mistakes but apart from that I played steady enough, nothing amazing but just steady. Got the job done,” said Eakin. 

“This morning was really trying to keep dry. Even though there had been a lot of rain it was still relatively firm. It’s just a tricky wind between the trees because it swirls around so you are never quite sure which direction it’s coming from.

“There’s a few fiddly holes and it’s just a matter of keeping them in play and I think the greens are good.” 

Sights are now firmly set on championship Friday with just two more rounds separating the defending champion from lifting the title once more and the Monaghan native is hoping to keep her momentum working when she faces Gail Linter (Belvoir Park) in the semi-final. 

“We’ll just keep going the way it’s going, one shot at a time, and we’ll take what we get” said Eakin. 

Deirdre Smith (County Louth) is another player who has been if fine form this week as the women’s leading stroke play qualifier and 2022 winner of this event, secured her semi-final place with a 2&1 victory over Headfort’s Maria O’Reilly. 

Leading men’s qualifier David Mulholland kept his fantastic week going, booking a place in tomorrow’s semi-final with a 1up victory over Tony Cleary (Spanish Point) in the round of 16, followed by a 4&3 win over Eamonn Haugh (Castletroy) in the quarter final, and with one more day to go on what has been an energy sapping week for many, the Castlerock golfer was delighted to get the job done early. 

“This afternoon was a very different match I think we were both a wee bit tired, it’s a long morning, heavy weather, so neither of us were really at it so it was a survival battle this afternoon. We played some decent golf but a wee bit scrappy at times and I managed to sort of get up around the turn and kept it. Nice to get it over before the 18^th this afternoon,” said Mulholland. 

“Try and keep the energy up, get a few energy drinks maybe and keep the energy up because it’s a long week. Try and do more of the same. I’ll enjoy tomorrow whatever.” 

There will be a Galway golfing double in the semi-finals as two men based in the Tribal County played their way safely through. Mulholland is set to take on 2023 European Senior Men’s Champion Eddie McCormack (Galway Bay) while Spanish Senior Men’s Amateur Champion Joe Lyons (Galway) will take on Jim Carvill (Banbridge).  

The semi-finals of the Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Close Plate and the Irish Veteran Men’s Amateur Close Championship will also tee up on Friday.  

Fionnuala Halpin (Dun Laoghaire) meets Shirley Real (Castletroy) in the first of the women’s matches while Sheena McElroy (Grange) takes on Carol McEnroe (Headfort). 

Hugh Smyth (Mourne) will face Munster Senior Men's Amateur Open Champion Karl Bornemann (Douglas), and Balbriggan’s David Brabazon takes on Ulster Men's O60 Veterans Champion Patrick Madigan (Tramore). 

View the semi-final draw here