Allison Coffey, the Leinster and Ulster champion, led Royal Co Down to their fifth success in the Irish Ladies Senior Cup, sponsored by Douwe Egberts, when they beat Co Louth 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 in the final at Dundalk yesterday.
Coffey won the last two holes against the Irish Girls champion, Jenny Gannon, to give the Newcastle team the ideal start against a Co Louth side seeking their first win in the competition since 1965.
Winner in 1996, Royal Co Down, showed all their experience when Anita McCaw also won on the 18th against Deirdre Smith, after Smith went through the green.
Junior Girls international Joanne Black made sure of the title for the Ulster champions when she beat Patricia Nannery 4 and 3. Irish Close runner-up Oonagh Purfield was Co Louth's only winner, beating Emma Dickson 4 and 3, while Heather Spence and Jackie Quinn halved in the bottom match.
In the semi-finals, Jenny Gannon played superb golf to beat Irish champion Lilian Behan. The Co Louth number one was six under par when the match finished on the 16th. Oonagh Purfield had to go to the 19th to beat Sinead Keane, while Deirdre Smith beat Miriam Byrne.
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