Golf:Leona Maguire will meet New Ross golfer Mary Dowling in the final of the Lancome Ladies' Irish Close championship, having narrowly avoided the fate of her sister Lisa in the quarter-finals.
The Slieve Russell golfers, the leading lights in Irish women’s golf, were pitted against Royal Portrush golfers Maura Diamond and Charlene Reid in the quarter-finals, with former besting defending champion Lisa when winning 3&1 to set up a semi-final meeting with Dowling.
Dowling was the only player from outside Ulster to progress to last four when defeating Jenny Gannon 4&3 and she booked her place in the final when bringing Diamond back down to earth with a 2&1 win.
Leona exacted some revenge on her sister’s behalf with a one-hole win over Reid in the quarter-finals and went on to score a 3&1 victory over Louise Coffey of Malone after the latter overcame Karen Delaney of Carlow with a 4&3 win.
Leona Maguire and Coffey were all-square through 14 in their semi-final before the Curtis Cup player upped the ante with a birdie at 15.
She sank another tough putt on the 16th before a par on the 17th left Coffey with nothing to play for at the last.
Final
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) v Mary Dowling (New Ross) – 10 am tomorrow
Semi-finals
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Louise Coffey (Malone) (3&1)
Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) v Mary Dowling (New Ross) (2&1)
Quarter-final results
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) 1up
Louise Coffey (Malone) bt Karen Delaney (Carlow) 4&3
Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) bt Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 3&1
Mary Dowling (New Ross) bt Jenny Gannon (Co. Louth) 4&3