The year in review Amateur women
A tremendous achievement. Borne more of hope than expectation but even more fulfilling after three days of remarkable golf at the Cruden Bay Golf Club in Scotland.
The victory of the Ireland Ladies Amateur team in the Home Internationals, for only the third time in their history, was underpinned by Houdini-like escapology, particularly on the final day.
Three down after the morning foursomes against the might of England, it would have been possible to name a price on an Irish victory but nobody told Mary McKenna's team. From the moment that Sinead Keane registered the first Irish point to Claire Coughlan applying the coup de grace in the final match, winning by two holes.
It was appropriate that it was the Cork girl who was handed the honour of confirming Ireland's first win in the Ladies' Home Internationals for 17 years as she won five from a possible six points.
It hardly augured well prior to the start of the quadrangular event that Ireland lost two of their original selection, Karen Delaney (Carlow) and Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), but those that deputised, Karen's sister, Tara and Sinead Keane made fulsome contributions.
In their opening match Scotland led Ireland 2-1 after the foursomes - Coughlan and Helen Jones the Irish winners - before McKenna's team rallied in the afternoon singles. Trish Mangan lost the top match to Anne Laing (her opponent holed her second shot for an eagle two at the 14th), Maura Morrin halved hers but Tara Delaney, making her debut, Keane and Coughlan all won as the match was halved 4 S -4 S.
It offered an inkling of how this Irish team thrived in adversity.
Ireland faced Wales next and despite losing the top foursomes, they emerged with a 2-1 lead from the morning's play. Mangan won the top singles match against the highly-rated Becky Brewerton and McKenna's team would survive a torrid afternoon to win out 5-4.
It set up a final-day showdown with the England team and after the morning foursomes, a 3-0 deficit appeared to quash Irish aspirations but the afternoon will be recalled as one of the greatest moments in Irish amateur golfing history as the team stormed to five wins in six singles to capture the Home International championship.
Ireland: T Mangan (Ennis), S Keane (The Curragh), M Dunne (Skerries), H Jones (Strabane), M Morrin (The Curragh), T Delaney (Carlow), C Coughlan (Cork), H Nolan (Shannon). Non playing captain: M McKenna. Manager: S O' Brien Kenny.
