Coulter gung-ho to regain Close title at Roscommon

Beth Coulter takes on Emma O'Driscoll in the semi-finals. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile.

Beth Coulter celebrated her Curtis Cup call-up by reaching Friday’s AIG Irish Women’s Close semi-finals at Roscommon.

The Kirkistown Castle star - named alongside Douglas’ Sara Byrne and Lahinch’s Aine Donegan in the Great Britain and Ireland side in Thursday - is determined to win back her crown after losing to Byrne as defending champion in last year’s final.

She beat Co Sligo’s Maebh McLoughlin 6&4 and Clandeboye’s Rebekah Gardner 5&4 to clinch a semi-final meeting with Ballybunion’s Emma O’Driscoll.

“Missing that little short putt on the last to go back-to-back was a little bit frustrating,” Coulter said of her loss in last year’s final. “I’m definitely back this year; I’m hoping to get the trophy back.

“Things were a bit rushed yesterday, getting in from the European Am, playing a practise round. Luckily, I have Thomas Higgins, a local boy, on the bag, and we’re great friends, so it was really fun out there, just ease into it.

“I played pretty good golf; the scores were really good in the stroke play. It’s kind of hard when I didn’t see the golf course and I knew these girls were coming out thick and fast with birdies.”

In the other semi-final, Roscommon’s Olivia Costello faces Canice Screene from Croham Hurst.

Hometown favourite Olivia Costello will face Canice Screene in the semi-finals. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile.

Screene had a 3&2 victory over Clandeboye’s Molly O’Hara in the last 16 before securing a brilliant 4&3 win over reigning Bridgestone Order of Merit champion Emma Fleming from Elm Park.

O’Driscoll built on her comprehensive 7&6 victory over Edmondstown’s Anna Abom, but local interest will be focused on Costello after she beat Oughterard’s Kate Dillon 5&4.

“It is a great opportunity to get a chance to play in front of people that I have grown up with,” said Costello.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow now, the main thing was getting through to the match play and it was a bit iffy there for a while.

“A lot of people say that anything can happen in match play, so hopefully, with the crowds and everything, we’ll go again.”

Dillon still picked up the AIG Irish Girls’ Amateur Close Championship for her efforts earlier in the week, while Anna Dawson, knocked out in the last 16, took home the Leitrim Cup as she topped the qualifiers on 13-under.

Co Louth’s Ellen O’Shaughnessy will face Royal Portrush’s Gemma McMeekin in the first of the AIG Irish Girls’ Amateur Close Plate semi-finals as Royal Portrush’s Hannah Lee-McNamara takes on Co Sligo’s Jessica Reynolds in the other.

Galway Bay’s Aoife Kelly will play Douglas’ Clodagh Coughlan and Royal Portrush’s Laura Webb meets Laytown and Bettystown’s Ellen O’Gorman in the semi-finals of the AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Plate.