Ireland will be represented on both teams when the Britain and Ireland elite panel take on the European Tour professionals in the Weetabix challenge at the Allwoodley Golf Club, Leeds, on Saturday, April 21st. The amateur team will be captained by Claire Dowling and will include Allison Coffey and Elaine Dowdall while former international Aideen Rogers will take her place on the professional team.
John Stapleton Classic
The inaugural John Stapleton Golf Classic will be played at Skerries golf club on May 28th. The event has been organised as a tribute to one of Skerries finest sportsmen who died last year. John, a great sports enthusiast, played a wide range of sport at a high level. He played Gaelic football for Skerries Harps and the Dublin Masters (over 40s) teams. Glebe North and Portmarnock were his soccer clubs and he was also an exceptional sailor, winning four National Mermaid championships between 1973 and 1981, a record that has been equalled but never surpassed. The John Stapleton Classic with main sponsor Gerry Gannon of Gannon Homes is for teams of four (any combination) and times can be booked with Sean Byrne 8464303/087-2611350; Paddy Ellis 8490272; Shane Redmond 8401944; Tom Quinn 8461491 or Peter Clarke 087-2551340.
Gillen takes title
Martina Gillen, the Beaverstown international in her first year at Kent State University, Ohio, won the Peggy Kirk Classic at Orlando last week, beating 74 other girls from 15 universities. Gillen, in her freshman year, continued her good form of recent weeks when she finished fourth in the Green Wave Classic in New Orleans and her 72 won the honours at Orlando when the second round was abandoned because of thunder and lightning.
The Leinster girls' team for the interprovincial championship at Enniscrone from April 18th to 20th is: Maria Dunne (Skerries), Suzie Hayes (Hermitage), Kyung Hae Lee (Castle), Karen Delaney (Carlow), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Siobhan McCarton (Greenore). Reserves; Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne) and Ann Marie Dalton (Coollattin).
Fundraiser at Dunmore
Dunmore East golf club is the venue for a Golf Classic to help raise funds for the South Eastern Cancer Foundation on Sunday June 24th. The foundation was set up in 1999 under the directorship of Dr Seamus O'Reilly to help raise funds for this very worthy cause. Maura Kenealy, the Lady Captain at Dunmore East and her committee are organising the event which will be a three-person team sponsored by Waterford Crystal and the entry fee is £60. Places on the timesheet are available at 051-383151.
GAA women at Malahide
Such is the growth in women's GAA football in Dublin that the county can now boast of 44 clubs and caters for over 100 Juvenile teams. The first Dublin GAA Ladies Co Board will hold a golf classic at Malahide Golf Club on June 15th. The event is a four-person team and the entry fee is £300. Places on the time sheet are available at e-mail - psmonahan@eircom.net.
Portumna Golf Club, closed for the past three weeks because of the foot-and-mouth risk, will reopen to members on Friday.
Entries for the Cork Ladies Scratch Cup close on Friday. For bookings phone 021-4506231.