Amateur Scene: Three Irish players - Claire Coughlan, Martina Gillen and Tricia Mangan - have been named in a 16-strong Curtis Cup training squad which will form the nucleus of the side to compete against the US at Bandon Dunes, Oregon, on July 29th-30th, next year.
As expected, eight of the nine players - Coughlan, Gillen, Mangan, Felicity Johnson, Anne Laing, Clare Queen, Kerry Smith and Sophie Walker - who convincingly defeated the Continent of Europe for the Vagliano Trophy at Chantilly, have again been selected, and they are joined by Emma Duggleby, an experienced Curtis Cup player and the winner of many titles, both home and abroad.
The squad is completed with youngster Kiran Matharu and her English colleagues Naomi Edwards and Melissa Reid, Scottish players Kylie Walker and Jenna Wilson, and finally Stephanie Evans and Breanne Loucks of Wales. Maura Morrin from the Curragh is named among the reserves.
Tara Delaney and British Strokeplay champion Heather MacRae, who are students in the US, were not considered for the winter programme.
Ireland's Ada O'Sullivan, from Monkstown, who will captain the team, said: "I am both delighted and excited to be working with a squad of this strength. It has a fantastic blend of successful, mature players and talented youth. The new members will be eager to make their mark, thus creating competitiveness among the squad.
"The training committee has set action-packed weekends throughout the winter and spring at spectacular venues, bearing in mind the terrain of the links course at Bandon Dunes, a truly magnificent host venue for the Curtis Cup.
"The selectors had a difficult job in keeping the squad to 16, such is the talent in Britain and Ireland, and while it will be tough work for all involved, the desire to be in the winning 2006 Curtis Cup team will have just reward."
Seven-time USGA champion Carol Semple Thompson has been selected as the US captain for next year's match. Thompson has competed on a record 12 US Curtis Cup teams, including the 2002 squad in her home town of Pittsburgh, when she holed a 27-foot putt from just off the 18th green at Fox Chapel Golf Club to retain the cup for the American side. Thompson has an overall Curtis Cup matchplay record of 18-15-4, including 9-8-1 in singles competition.
Meanwhile, Ireland's women's Senior team will be hoping to catch the winning feeling from the successful men's team in the Home Internationals at Radyr, Wales, starting today.
Irish team captain Elaine Bradshaw leads an experienced line-up, who unfortunately are without the services of Donabate's Mary McKenna and Milltown's Rhona Fanagan, who are unavailable.
However, new caps Marilyn Henderson, now based in Germany, Eileen MacMullan from Donegal and Headfort's Pauline Walsh are sure to add strength to a team that sees a recall for former Irish champion Mary Gorry.
However, England, already winners of the girls and women's titles, will be seeking the hat-trick. England dominated the three-day event at Kilkeel GC last year to keep a firm grip on the crown which they have won each year since the championship was launched three years ago.
England put on a near-perfect performance throughout the series at Kilkeel, Co Down, winning 18 of their 21 matches. They beat Ireland 6-1 on the first day and followed up with a 5-2 win over Scotland, before staging their storming finish against Wales.
This year's team, again captained by Bridget Jackson, shows three changes from last year, with new caps Geraldine Bray, Hilary Smyth and Pat Wrighton replacing Liz Boatman and Vivien Saunders in the now seven-player team.
The home side, Wales, however, led by Vicki Thomas, will have their sights set on a first title. The 29-time capped Wales star has enjoyed a phenomenal first season as a senior, sweeping to the matchplay crown at Conwy in May and then romping to the strokeplay title at Nefyn last month. She also came third in the Irish Open and eighth in the British championship.
Unquestionably the team that lines up today is the strongest ever chosen by Wales and they have every chance of finishing at the top of the pile.
Thomas is joined by one-time professional Pam Chugg, beaten by her in the matchplay final, Newport veteran Jean O'Connor, Janet Dolman, better known as Janet Williams, of Llandudno, Pamela Valentine, Helen Joyce and Verona MacKenzie.
IRELAND: Roma English, Mary Gorry, Valerie Hassett, Marilyn Henderson Eileen MacMullan, Mary Madden, Pauline Walsh.
ENGLAND: Geraldine Bray, Carole Caldwell, Christine Quinn, Hilary Smyth, Chris Stirling, Christine Watson, Pat Wrighton.
SCOTLAND: Rose Anderson, Lorna Bennett, Elizabeth Campbell, Fiona De Vries, Noreen Fenton, Moira Thomas, Pamela Williamson.
WALES: Pam Chugg, Janet Doleman, Helen Joyce, Verona Mackenzie, Jean O'Connor, Vicki Thomas, Pamela Valentine.
CURTIS CUP TRAINING SQUAD: Claire Coughlan (Cork), Emma Duggleby (Malton & Norton), Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen), Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Felicity Johnson (Harborne), Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Breanne Loucks (Wrexham), Tricia Mangan (Ennis), Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall), Clare Queen (Drumpellier), Melissa Reid (Chevin), Kerry Smith (Waterlooville), Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park), Kylie Walker (Stirling University), Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), Reserves in Order: Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale), Maura Morrin (Curragh).
