A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Royal Dublin to host Celtic Cup
ROYAL DUBLIN will be the venue next week for the Celtic Challenge Cup – which is the annual match between Ireland and Scotland’s blind and visually impaired golfers.
The two days of action will take place on Monday, September 12th, and Tuesday, September 13th, at the North Dublin club.
Six golfers and their guides will compete for the cup. This is the sixth running of this match since the year 2000 and next weeks match marks the first occasion the contest has been held in the Republic of Ireland.
Next weeks match will consist of three foursomes games on Monday and six singles matches on Tuesday.
The six golfers representing Ireland are Willem Roode, Drew Cochrane, Peter Gorey, Michael Gardner, Paul ORahilly and Tommy Reidy.
Ireland won last year’s Celtic Cup in Scotland on a 6½ to 2½ scoreline and will be hoping for further success next week.
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LIAM BUCKLEY featured on the page this week and we were told he has a handicap of 13. Recently he won the Stanley Adams Trophy in Edmondstown with a net 62 and now plays off 10. He beat Frank Whelan (off 22), the well-known RTÉ hockey commentator, by three shots. Whelan was cut to 20.
Lisa Maguire leads Irish in Home Internationals ties
A STRONG Irish team will go in search of glory at the Ladies Home International Matches which takes place at Hillside Golf Club, Southport starting tomorrow.
Ireland will be led by the European and Spanish champion Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) who was the most successful player of the 2010 series, being the only player to win all six of her matches. However, Ireland is without the services of recently-crowned British Strokeplay champion Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) who will be availing of an invite to the Austrian Ladies Open.
Joining Lisa as survivors of the 2010 team are Ulster Women’s champion Louise Coffey (Malone), Gillian O’Leary (Cork) and Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush). Karen Delaney (Carlow) adds further experience to the side captained by Claire Robinson, while three players gain their first caps at senior international level.
Making their debutes are Irish Girls’ champion Paula Grant (Lisburn) and fellow girls’ international team-mate Chloe Ryan (Castletroy), and Ballybunion’s Emma O’Driscoll. Ireland open the tournament against Scotland on Wednesday, followed by Wales on Thursday and England on Friday.
IRELAND: Louise Coffey (Malone), Karen Delaney (Carlow), Paul Grant (Lisburn), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Emma ODriscoll (Ballybunion), Gillian O'Leary (Cork), Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy). Captain: Claire Robinson (Knock). Manager: Dr Christine Crockett (RCDL).
Holmpatrick Cup 'Race to St Andrews'
THE Holmpatrick Cup “Race to St Andrews” final for Dublin and Leinster clubs takes place at Portmarnock on Sunday.
Six Dublin clubs and 11 from the rest of Leinster will be hoping to win so as they can compete in the 36-hole All-Ireland final at the New and Old Courses in St Andrews in October.
The six Dublin clubs competing on Sunday are Clontarf, Corrstown, Grange Castle, Portmarnock Links, Sutton and Balbriggan.
The 11 competing Leinster clubs are Killerig, Mountrath, Bellewstown, St Helens Bay, Mountain View, Seapoint, Esker Hills, Rathsallagh, Millicent, Co Longford and Glasson.
Last Sunday at Adare Manor Charleville secured the Munster slot in the All-Ireland final at St Andrews with Limerick runners-up, while the final line up will take place on Sunday week at Farnham Estate when the Connacht/Ulster final will take place.
Laytown and Bettystown titles
LAYTOWN AND BETTYSTOWN achieved an excellent double by winning both sections of the Ward League this year.
The league, now in its fifth year, comprises of clubs from both the counties of Dublin and Meath with Ashbourne, Black Bush, Hollywood Lakes, Laytown Bettystown, Roganstown and Westmanstown all represented.
The league is played during the summer months. The senior section comprises boys under-18, while the junior section is contested by girls and boys under-15.
The final outing of the season was at Ashbourne where Laytown and Bettystown clinched the two titles.
Enniscorthy triumph in Barton Cup
IT took five extra holes to decide the outcome of the FBD Barton Cup at Enniscorthy on Sunday with the home side coming from 4-1 down to win after a three-holes play-off.
In the first match Enniscorthy’s Jason Rackard and Thomas Browne were level par when beating Aidan Kelly and Andy Kavanagh.
Dunmurry Springs’ Seán Maloney and Robbie McNamara defeated Martin Sludds and Nigel Callan by one hole to make it 5-2 to Dumurry.
Enniscorthy wins followed for Mark Murphy and Darren Carey, Murt Mangan and Mark Kavanagh, so now 5-4 and all down to the final match between Nicky Murphy and Robert Ronan versus Will Smith and Conan Noone.
A tight match, forced into extra time when Dunmurry birdied the par-four 18th was eventually decided on the 20th hole to send the match into a three-holes play-off which Enniscorthys Rackard and Browne won by one hole.
Just the ticket for Solheim Cup
WITH the recent announcements of both the European and American teams that includes Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen and Laura Davis it is all systems go for the 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle on September 23rd-25th.
Over 80,000 are expected to attend over the six days – three practice days on Tuesday and Wednesday (€ 15), Thursday with the opening ceremony (€ 20) and the three days of competition, Friday (€40), Saturday and Sunday (€ 50) . Good “Any One Day” tickets are € 55 and the Ping International Pavilion on the seventh hole is € 99. Season tickets are the best value at € 125.
Ticket sales have been brisk since the announcement of the teams and by the end of last week 60 per cent of daily tickets had been sold and the hospitality is already sold out. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster. ie or by calling 0818 719309
Its a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the best women’s golf event in the world as the event may not be back in Ireland for some time.
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ALEX GLEESON, an Irish Boys International, broke the course record at Castle GC last week with a scorching 63 which included eight birdies and one dropped shot. The current professional course record of 66 is held by Waterville’s David Higgins. Former All-Ireland winning Down captain Conor Deegan shot a 64 in the captain’s prize.
