Golf Digest

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Girls rout hosts in quarter-finals

EUROPEAN TEAMS: Ireland moved a step closer to retaining their European Girls Team title at Aalborg yesterday when they overwhelmed host nation Denmark in the quarter-finals.

Once again the Maguire twins weaved their magic, collecting maximum points to steer the defending champions to a 3.5-1.5 victory.

They will today face Spain, who beat England, In the other semi-final France clash with Sweden.

Leona and Lisa Maguire from Slieve Russell in Co Cavan combined brilliantly in the top foursomes match which they won at a canter.

They were always in control against Mette Kryper and Daisy Nielsen and raced into an early lead on their way to a 4 and 3 triumph.

But the foursomes were only shared as Laura McCarthy and Stephanie Meadows lost their match.

In the afternoon, the Maguires were in scintillating form, Lisa having a barrage of birdies on her way to a 6 and 5 drubbing of Nielsen and Leona, the French under-20 champion, beating Nistrup also out in the country.

Ireland’s Boys salvaged some pride when they overwhelmed Switzerland in Flight B matchplay round in Klassis,Turkey.

Their 4-1 victory keeps alive their hopes of finishing in ninth place.

This is proving a difficult week for Ireland’s Men’s team who arrived in Sweden with such high hopes, having won two of the last three titles. Yesterday they crashed to a 3.5-1.5 defeat at the hands of Scotland.

A 20th hole defeat for Curtis Cup player Danielle McVeigh at the hands of Marita Engzelius resulted in Ireland losing 3-2 to Noway in the Women’s championship at La Manga.

EUROPEAN AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN(Osterakers, Sweden) – Ireland 1.5 Scotland 3.5 (Ireland first): P Murray, P Dunne halved with P McLean, K Nicol; P Cutler bt J Byrne 5 and 4; C Curley lost to R Kellett 3 and 2; A Dunbar lost to M Stewart 3 and 1; D Lernihan lost to G Paterson 3 and 1.

WOMEN(La Manga, Spain) - Flight B (Pos 9-16) Ireland 2 Norway 3 (Ireland first): G O'Leary, V Bradshaw lost to L Hafsten-Morch, S Resen 4 and 3; D McVeigh lost to M Engzelius at 20th; S O'Sullivan bt R Raastad 3 and 1; M Dowling lost to Helgesen 2 and 1; C Reid bt T Daffinrud 4 and 3.

GIRLS(Aalborg, Denmark) – Quarter-finals: France 3 Finland 2; Sweden 4 Belgium 1; Spain 3 England 1; Ireland 3.5 Denmark 1.5 (Ireland first) - Foursomes: Leona Maguire, Lisa Maguire bt M Kryger, D Nielsen 4 and 3; L McCarthy, S Meadows lost to C Nistrup, N Larsen two holes. Singles: Lisa Maguire bt Nielsen 6 and 5; Meadows halved with Larsen; Leona Maguire bt Nistrup 5 and 4.

BOYS(Klassis, Turkey) – Flight B – Ireland 4 Switzerland 1 (Ireland first): L Harnett, K Lynch bt J Girbach, L Condello 3 and 2; J Hopkins lost to V Doka 3 and 1; C Selfridge bt Z Felder one hole; D McElroy bt P Schweizder 3 and 2; S Barry bt P Deslarzes 3 and 1.