GOLF AMATEUR WOMEN:IRELAND MADE a flying start to their bid for a first Women's Home International title for six years when they demolished England in the sunshine over the Whitchurch course in Cardiff.
Having taken the foursomes 2-1, the Irish produced a scintillating singles performance to win all six matches for an overall 8-1 victory – an amazing achievement.
On paper England are the strongest team this week, and with 13 wins under their belt in the last 18 years they were expected to control the series.
But it was a rampaging Ireland to whom the first day belonged – and their margins of success were in most cases substantial.
With the foursomes poised at one match apiece, there came a pivotal moment. Ireland looked like going to lunch 2-1 down when in the third match Gillian O’Leary and Sinéad O’Sullivan were two down with four to play to Nikki Foster and Charlie Douglass. But O’Leary and O’Sullivan won three holes on the bounce to go in front and held on at the last for a point.
Playing at the top of the singles, Royal County Down’s Danielle McVeigh, the 2009 British Stroke-play champion, went ahead at the third against English champion Hayley Davis, and never looked back. She was five under par to win 3 and 2.
Afterwards McVeigh (22), a student at Maynooth, gave her assessment of a mixed year. “I played really well in the Curtis Cup, have had a few disappointments but believe I am a much better player now than I was a year ago.”
The 15-year-old Maguire twins were in superb form throughout the day, being six under par in sweeping to foursomes success and then individually delivering the goods.
Leona, the French under-20 champion, was three up at the turn against Charlotte Ellis, then took the next three holes and wrapped up the match 5 and 4.
Lisa, two up after 11 holes, won 4 and 3 against Charley Hull.
It was a good day for Cork’s O’Leary, who followed up the foursomes triumph by overwhelming Tara Watters 6 and 4, while, in the tightest match, debut-making Malone golfer Louise Coffey edged out British champion Kelly Tidy by 3 and 1.
Ireland today face defending champions Wales, who were yesterday well beaten 6½-2½ by Scotland after losing five of the six singles.
