Dowling hoping to go one better at Portstewart

LADIES' IRISH CLOSE CHAMPIONSHIP:MARY DOWLING will hope to go one better than last year's defeat to Lisa Maguire when she takes on the Slieve Russell golfer's twin, Leona, in the final of the Lancome Ladies' Irish Close championship at Portstewart today.

The Maguire sisters’ stranglehold on the domestic game was broken yesterday when defending champion Lisa was ousted in the quarter-finals by local Maura Diamond of Royal Portrush, who produced a sparkling display to win 3 and 1.

Leona exacted some revenge in the last eight by beating Diamond’s clubmate Charlene Reid by one hole, and she claimed her place in the final with a 3 and 1 victory over Louise Coffey of Malone, after the latter overcame Karen Delaney of Carlow with a 4 and 3 win.

Maguire and Coffey were all-square through 14 in their semi-final before the Curtis Cup team-member upped the ante with a birdie at the 15th.

She sank another tough putt on the 16th, before a par on the 17th left Coffey with nothing to play for at the last.

Dowling was the only player from outside Ulster to progress to the last four when she beat Jenny Gannon of Co Louth 4 and 3, and she earned the right to another crack at the title by bringing Diamond back down to earth with a 2 and 1 win.

Dowling has been showing form this season and, with the Cork Scratch Cup and a runner-up spot in the Munster Championship already under her belt, will go in hunt of her first Close win with some confidence today.

Birdies at the 12th and 15th – both par threes – saw her move three up on Diamond, before the crowd favourite holed a par putt at the 16th to close the gap.

Dowling, however, gave nothing away over the last two holes and won 2 and 1 to follow Maguire into the final.

FINAL: Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) v Mary Dowling (New Ross), today, 10am.

Semi-finals: Maguire bt Louise Coffey (Malone) 3 and 1; Dowling bt Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) 2 and 1. Quarter-finals: Maguire bt Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) 1up; Coffey bt Karen Delaney (Carlow) 4 and 3; Diamond bt Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 3 and 1; Dowling bt Jenny Gannon (Co Louth) 4 and 3.