Dowling creates a major upset by ousting Coffey

The element of surprise can often be the best weapon. And Mary Dowling's enforced absence from competitive golf, while she completed her physiotherapy studies in University College Dublin, meant that the New Ross player's debut appearance in the Lancome Irish Women's Close Championship was largely unheralded until her giantkilling feat against Alison Coffey in the opening round of matchplay at Carlow yesterday provided a timely reminder of her talents.

A former junior international, Dowling has had little time for high octane golf in recent years. "Between studies and clinical placements during the summer, I found it difficult to play in championships," she admitted.

However, the completion of her finals two weeks ago allowed Dowling to undertake a crash course in fine-honing her game in time for the national championships - and such diligence was rewarded as she created a major upset by ousting international Coffey, the reigning Ulster champion, in the first round.

Dowling's win on the 18th was the biggest surprise, although Co Louth teenager Jenny Gannon, the Leinster champion, was beaten by former international Deirdre Walsh.

And another international, Hazel Kavanagh, also bowed out at the first hurdle but her match with Tricia Mangan, also an international, was always going to be a toss-up.

In the event, Mangan, who made her senior debut in last year's Home Internationals when she emerged with a 100 per cent record from her individual matches, again demonstrated her competitive instinct with a 3 and 2 win over Kavanagh.

And, elsewhere, there was an element of predictability about the various outcomes. Lillian Behan, the defending champion and leading qualifier, and threetime champion Eileen Rose Power both completed their matches on the 16th, while Suzanne O'Brien, the Irish amateur strokeplay champion, wasn't required to go beyond the 11th green - and a short trek back across the practice ground - to secure her advancement.

"I struggled with my short game," conceded Coffey afterwards. Dowling, in fact, had fallen behind at the first hole but squared matters when rolling in a 12-foot birdie putt on the eighth and sank a similar length putt for par to go one up at the 11th, and then went two-up at the 12th.

Coffey had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit at the 15th, but three-stabbed to halve the hole, but did win the 18th after her opponent found a greenside bunker off the tee. And, at the par five last, Coffey had another opening when Dowling's third shot found a bunker. But Coffey's approach was a poor one and she only found the front of the green and failed to sink the long putt, while Dowling splashed out to 12 feet and showed nerves of steel to sink the putt for par and claim a big scalp.

Behan, meanwhile, birdied the first hole - when she was on in two - to set the trend in her match with Donabate's Pat Doran. In fact, Behan had five birdies on her way to a 3 and 2 win and, using her length off the tee, she inflicted most of the damage on the par fives.

Power had a tougher time, and needed to fight back on the homeward run to eventually beat Co Louth's Jackie Quinn, also by 3 and 2. Power was two down after five but went all-square on the 10th, and then she won the 12th, 13th and rolled in a 25 footer for birdie on the 16th to close out the match.

Another international, Oonagh Purfield, had to show her mettle, too. Purfield, last year's finalist, was two down after three holes and still trailing by that margin at the turn. However, she won the 10th, 12th, 13th and birdied the 16th to move two up; then lost the 17th, before finally finishing matters on the 18th.