Hard luck to Regina Barry and her Minor Cup team who just came up short this morning when playing Munster’s Lee Valley in the quarter finals of this competition.
After an excellent campaign to get to this point, Regina and her team came up against an extremely tough team this morning. The Lee Valley side boasted a couple of players whose 2022 handicap bore little or no relationship to their current playing handicap, but, as they say, they’re the rules!
Out first was Helen Creedon who got off to a good start at two up through five and turned three up. The back nine was where her opponent came into her own however and, despite playing some excellent golf, Helen went down 3&1.
Out number three was Patricia Moore who had been called in as cover for the injured Janet Devin. Patricia was two ahead after three but was back to all square at the turn. As with Helen’s match, the back nine was where Lee Valley got going and Patricia’s match ended 3&2 for Lee Valley.
Out fourth was Áine O’Rourke. Áine was up against an extremely powerful young player who made few mistakes and when she did had the power to recover with ease. Áine did little wrong in the first six holes to be fair but still found herself five down. Her opponent had a little wobble on seven and eight and Áine capitalised winning both holes but she had a mountain to climb and her match ended 5&3 to give Lee Valley the overall tie victory and the opportunity to play in the All-Ireland finals in Westport.
Still out on the course at this stage were Joyce Kirwan, who was out second and Bernadette MCGowan who played in the anchor position today.
Joyce Kirwan won the first and was never behind in her match. She turned three up, having won seven, eight and nine, and was dormie one up and in prime position on the eighteenth, when called in.
Bernie was playing a girl who was a full ten shots lower than her competition handicap but Bernadette was in great form herself today and wasn’t going to put off by this. Bernadette went two up through three and turned all square. When called in she was one up after fourteen.
Once again, hard luck to Regina and her entire squad, who put in such an effort over the duration of the competition.
