The scene is set for a showdown at Portstewart today as Leinster clash with Ulster in the last round of the AIB Women's Senior Interprovincal Championship when Leinster need nothing short of a win for their seventh consecutive victory in the competition.
They trail Ulster by one-and-a-half points after both teams have beaten Munster and Connacht. Yesterday, the holders beat Connacht 7 1/2 to 2 1/2 while Ulster carved out an excellent 6 1/2 to 3 1/2 result over Munster.
Leinster took all three morning foursomes and added four of the top five singles to make certain of overall victory. However, they managed only a half from the last two matches.
Gemma Hegarty iced the cake for Ulster as they beat Munster when she blazed back from one down with two to play to beat Aida Burke.
Ireland's interest in the British Girls' Open Amateur Championship over the Rosemount course at Blairgowrie in Scotland ended yesterday. Maria Dunne, from Skerries, the only Irish player in the 32 qualifiers for the championship's matchplay stages, was always trailing to the sixth qualifier, Claire Grignolo (Italy). Three down after 10 holes, Maria eventually lost by 3 and 2.
Irish girls' champion Martina Gillen from Beaverstown - runner-up in last week's Doug Sanders European girls' championship at Aberdeen - competed in the Todd Bowl. Martina had a dingdong match with Stephanie Doering from Germany before losing at the 20th hole. The championship's last eight features two from Italy and one each from Scotland, Wales, England, Sweden, the Netherlands and France.
The European Seniors Tour breaks new ground on October 26th-28th by staging a tournament in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
It will be the final event of this year's circuit, currently led by Christy O'Connor Jnr. Prize money of £200,000, with a winner's cheque of £33,333, makes it the second richest tournament of the tour. The field is made up of the leading 25 players on the 1999 Order of Merit, Tour winners in the last two seasons and, to make up the total entry of 50, leading non-exempt players from this season's money list.
Graeme Storm carded seven birdies in a 67 to lie joint second after the opening round of the Finnish Masters in Helsinki.
The former amateur champion came home in 31 and shares second spot with Sweden's Paul Nilbrink, two strokes behind another Swede, Pehr Magnebrant, who did not drop a shot and scored seven birdies.
Waterville's David Higgins is seven shots back on level par 72, the same mark as Peter Lawrie.
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