Today's other stories in brief
Ulster on hat-trick
Ulster sights will be on a third successive Girls' Interprovincial title when the three-day tournament starts at Laytown and Bettystown GC tomorrow. Twelve-year-old twins Leona and Lisa Maguire will make their Interprovincial debut at under-18 level, having represented their province at under-15 last year. Missing from last year's line-up will be Stephanie Meadow, who is attending school in the US.
Leinster will look to their international Louise Mernagh to mount a challenge as the team is led by experienced International Sinead Keane from The Curragh. Munster have international Sarah Cunningham in their ranks, while Connacht will look to Kate Gallagher to lead the way to regaining the title surrendered to Ulster in 2005.
Tomorrow: 9.00-1.3:0 Ulster v Connacht; 9.18-2.28: Leinster v Munster. Thursday: 9.00-1.30: Munster v Connacht; 9.20-2.30 Leinster v Ulster. Friday: 8.30-1.00: Connacht v Leinster; 8.48-1.58: Ulster v Munster.
CONNACHT
Regina Kerr (capt), Kate Gallagher (Claremorris), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone), Hannah McInerney (Gort), Carmel O'Connor (Westport), Hannah O'Connor (Loughrea), Julie O'Gara (Roscommon).
LEINSTER
Sinead Keane (capt), Ciara Butler (Newlands), Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge), Aedin Murphy (Carlow), Niamh O'Connor (Naas), Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy), Ciara Walsh (Headfort).
MUNSTER
Maura Breathnach (capt), Sarah Crowe (Tipperary), Sarah Cunningham (Ennis), Laura McCarthy (Muskerry), Diandra O'Connell (Ennis), Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion), Holli Snelling (Killarney).
ULSTER
Pat Anderson (capt), Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Leona Maguire (Castle Hume), Lisa Maguire (Castle Hume), Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon), Lucy Simpson (Massereene), Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea).
Drumm thrills locals
Local Chris Drumm thrilled the many supporters who came to Rosslare GC last week to see Ireland's Boys defeat Wales 12-8 over the two-day match. Drumm was the only player to achieve a 100 per cent record, winning all three matches.
In his opening singles he beat Lloyd Kerry by one hole, and followed that with a 6 and 5 win when partnering Rory McNamara against Alyn Torrence and Nick Lofthouse in the foursomes. And in the final singles, Drumm came up against Lofthouse again and kept his record intact with a 2 and 1 win.
Reid elected
Tom Reid, owner of Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club, was elected the national president of Skal International (International Association of Travel and Tourism) at their convention in Glasson last week.
The 46th convention was acknowledged as a significant milestone in the Skal movement in Ireland. The importance of the occasion was recognised by the attendance of the Greek world president of Skal, Litsa Papthanassi, representatives by presidents of Skal Clubs in Britain and Hungary, and from the eight clubs in Ireland. In all, over 150 delegates attended.
La Cala fine-tuning
Does your game need some fine-tuning? If so, why not join two of Ireland's leading professionals for four days of learning at La Cala Resort in the Costa Del Sol from June 6th-9th.
PGA Professionals Gillian Burrell and David Kearney will take a group of five couples to Spain where all aspects of the game will be covered with one-to-one coaching. For further details contact: www.davidkearneygolf.com or call 0872851255 to reserve a place.
Island to the fore
Island members were very much to the fore when the BMW-sponsored Hilary Society winter programme came to a conclusion at Sutton GC last week. On a day of excellent scoring, UCD student and Island member Brendan Walton won the Niall O'Brien medal for the best gross over the series by one shot from Dara Lernihan, while John Grant took the nett overall after shooting 65 in the final outing. Robert Giles shot a four-under-par 66 to win the professional prize and Mark Collins used all his local knowledge to take the amateur gross with a 68.
Keeling bounces back
They say that luck has a habit of balancing out over a season. Well for one of Luttrellstown's players it balanced out in the space of a few days. Mary Keeling was perhaps a little unfortunate to lose out last Tuesday in the 18 hole v par competition when she lost on a countback over the back nine to Helen Cosgrove (16) after both shot scores of 1 down. But in the next event, played on Saturday, the 27 handicapper bounced straight back to win herself, on a countback from Maria Smyth (21), after both had recorded scores of 33 points.
Limerick classic
The Limerick GAA Supporters Club (Dublin) will hold their annual classic at Beech Park GC on Thursday, May 10th. The event is a four-person team with the best two scores to count at each hole. The cost is €550 per team and includes four-course meal. For places on the timesheet contact Tom Cotter at 086-8380893 or Gerry O'Sullivan at 087-2075017.
Word out for Bangor
The All-Ireland Schools' final takes place at Milltown Golf Club on Monday, April 30th. St Joseph's Convent of Mercy, Navan, have won the event for the past two years, but this year's Eastern District representatives are Dundalk Grammar.
Hotly tipped for this year's title are Bangor Academy, who will be represented by Victoria Bradshaw and Sarah Louise Winter. The format is 18 holes strokeplay with each pair qualifying from their District in late 2006. The lowest aggregate of two gross scores will win the championships. The Mary Nowlan Trophy will be presented to the individual returning the lowest gross score.
ALL-IRELAND SCHOOLS FINAL TIMESHEET: 9.0: Ann McCormack (Convent of Mercy, Roscommon), Carla Reynolds (Dundalk Grammar School); 9.10: Elaine Slater (Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny), Diandra O'Connell (St Flannan's College, Ennis); 9.20: Sarah Louise Winter (Bangor Academy), Sharon Whelan (Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny); 9.30: Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor Academy), Julie O'Gara (Convent of Mercy, Roscommon); 9.40: Nicola Reddan (Dundalk Grammar School), Sarah Cunningham (St Flannan's College, Ennis).
McAnthony the ace
Colm McAnthony realised a lifetime ambition when he aced the 17th hole at Edmondstown GC recently. McAnthony, playing in the company of former Clontarf cricket player Michael Carroll and Sam Kerr, used a seven-iron at the 166-metre 17th hole for his first hole-in-one.
Stellar effort by Purcell
This year promises to be a memorable one for Stella Purcell, Lady Captain of Kilcoole Golf Club, Co Wicklow. Last week she had more reasons to be cheerful as the 27 handicapper scored 45 points to win class one. In fact that class produced some hot scoring, as second place went to Ita Casey (25) with 44 points, while 40 points secured third spot for Jean Taylor (26). Scores weren't as high in the other classes, with Kathleen Killalea (33) winning class two with 37 points and Terry Richardson (36) firing 34 for her win in class three.
Seventh Heaven
Seven is deemed a lucky number and it certainly proved that for Tommie Reilly who secured the first hole-in-one of the season at Westport Golf Club on Easter Sunday. Accompanied by his brother, George, who had featured in Saturday's competition, Freddie Molloy and Frank Hastings, he aced the par three 142-yard third hole - named Judges Tower - with a seven-iron. This was Tommie's second ace. His other piece of magic came on the 12th in Carrowholly, a number of years ago when three aces were recorded on the same day. For the record, the other two on that day were Jim Lyons and Albert Gallagher.
Meanwhile, Carmel O'Connor has made a good start to the Westport season. Despite losing a couple of shots when winning the singles competition last Sunday week with 40 points, she continued her good form by taking the gross prize last Saturday, off her new handicap of nine. The event was won by Anne Browne (19) with 42 points.
O'Brien excels
Joan O'Brien, a member of Stackstown, will be hoping that the kind of month she has just enjoyed at the Rathfarnham-based club continues for the rest of the season. During the month of March, the 17 handicapper was a regular among the prizes. Having featured in a couple of 12 hole singles events, she ended the month with a win when teaming up with Helen Redmond (25). Last Tuesday, she began April in similar fashion, although she just missed out on the victory. In the Countess of Granard Foursomes, her score with Mary O'Hagan (26) of 33 points was beaten on the back nine by Kathleen Carroll (21) and Jean Constant (28).
skeenan@irish-times.ie
