Metcalfe heroics seal it for Laytown and Bettystown
Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown & Bettystown) watching her putt on the 19th green in the final of the Senior Foursomes at the 2018 AIG Ladies Cups and Shields Finals at Knightsbrook Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Eleanor Metcalfe produced two moments of magic to help Laytown and Bettystown clinch the AIG Senior Foursomes for the second time in five years.
The Co Meath ladies consigned Roscommon to defeat in the final for the second year running with a thrilling 2-1 win in the AIG Ladies Cups and Shields Finals at Knightsbrook Hotel and Golf Resort.
While Carol Wickham and Marita Leech fell in the top match, Bairbre Cooney and Aimee Wickham won 3&1 before Vivienne Branigan and Maynooth University student Metcalfe clinched a memorable win on the 20th.
Metcalfe extended the match with a 35-foot-putt on the first extra hole before hitting her approach to four feet at the 20th to set up a winning birdie.
“I had a good feeling over the putt on the 19th and then Vivienne hit a good drive down 20," Metcalfe said. "I had 204 yards with my approach and managed to hit it in pretty close.
"To be honest it’s class to get the win because it wasn’t looking good at some points out there. But it was never going to be easy to win an All-Ireland Final.
“To get to an All-Ireland final you have to play a lot of good golf, and we have had two great matches against Kilkenny and Roscommon here this week, it’s great to come out on top.”
Monkstown beat Malone 3.5-1.5 to win the AIG Minor Cup and the first national pennant for the ladies club in their 110-year history.
After wins by Jane O’Hagan and Martina McCarthy, Nina Kearney's two-hole victory over Wendy Reid sealed a historic win.
It was a day to forget for Malone who were also denied in the AIG Intermediate Cup final, losing 4-1 to Douglas.
Victories for Jill Morris, Jessica Kavanagh and teenager Orla Coughlan (17) were enough to get the Munster champions over the line.
Three pennants will be decided today with Shandon Park facing Courtown in the AIG Junior Foursomes Final, East Cork taking on Rathfarnham in the AIG Junior Cup and Macroom lining up against Smurfit for the AIG Challenge Cup.
AIG Ladies Cups & Shields Finals, Knightsbrook Hotel and Golf Resort
AIG Minor Cup Final
Monkstown 3.5 Malone 1.5 (Monkstown names first): J O’Hagan bt D Wilson 3&2, S Murphy lost to H Agnew 7&6, N Kearney bt W Reid 2up, M McCarthy bt M Crossey 3&2, C Rice halved with Janet Bailie (called-in).
AIG Senior Foursomes Final
Roscommon 1 Laytown & Bettystown 2 (Roscommon names first): S Benedetti & J O’Gara bt C Wickham & M Leech 2 holes, C O’Connor & C Hereward-Ryan lost to E Metcalfe & V Branigan 20th, R Lennon & Mary Lalor lost to B Cooney & A Wickham 3&1.
AIG Intermediate Cup Final
Malone 1 Douglas 4 (Malone names first): K Gilbert lost to J Morris 1 hole, C Manning lost to J Kavanagh 2&1, C Jones lost to O Coughlan 4&3, A Goan halved with M Cooney O’Leary (called-in), S Cox halved with H Barry (called-in).
AIG Junior Cup Semi Finals
East Cork 3.5 Malone 1.5 (East Cork names first): D O’Mahony bt S O’Sullivan 4&2, M Ní Mhurchu halved with M O’Doherty (called-in), T McCarthy lost to A Brown 3&2, S O’Leary bt E Greene 2&1, A O’Connell bt K Brady 4&3.
Moate 1 Rathfarnham 4 (Moate names first): C Connolly lost to L Keartland 4&2, S Healy lost to C Loftus 5&4, H Kelly halved with P Cassidy (called-in), G Coughlan lost to O Gibbons 4&2, V Colgan halved with A Brisbane (called-in)
AIG Junior Foursomes Semi Finals
Shandon Park 2 Beaverstown 1 (Shandon Park names first): D Thompson & G Harran bt M Murray & S Dunne 19th, D Sweeney & L McCaffrey lost to C Flanagan & S Cassidy 6&5, M Thompson & B Marson bt E Meany & G O’Connor 19th.
Ballina 1 Courtown 2 (Ballina names first) S Smith & C Cooke bt C Quinn & M Osborne 4&3, D Tuohy & B Cooke lost to S Courtney & M Kilbride 4&2, P Gilger-Tuohy & M Reynolds lost to M Sunderland E Cullen 19th.
AIG Challenge Cup Semi Finals
Fintona 1 Macroom 4 (Fintona names first): C Donnelly lost to N O’Sullivan 3&2, J Hackett halved with C Breathnach (called-in), B McCillen lost to M Keating 8&6, K Donnelly lost to G Cullinane 6&5, C Colgan halved with A Piotrowski (called-in).
Smurfit 4 Ballinrobe 1 (Smurfit names first): M Kearns bt S Staunton 9&7, Z Martin halved with Mary Cradock (called-in), M Burke bt C Maloney 4&2, L Mooney halved with M Nalty (called-in), C Madhaven bt H King 3&2.
Today
(10:00) Junior Foursomes Final: Shandon Park v Courtown;
(10:40) Junior Cup Final: East Cork v Rathfarnham;
(11:30) Challenge Cup Final: Macroom v Smurfit.
