Leinster Ladies Matchplay Championship Preview

Just prior to composing these previews, there was little to be said about the ladies event as there was no draw to peruse, hence writing a few lines about who the leading candidates might be in both fields.

There are two championships this year: Senior, and Inter/Junior. I’ll look to the Inter/Junior Championship first. Junior ladies didn’t enter in sufficient numbers to justify the event, but those that did enter have been afforded the chance to play in the Inter Championship. Therefore it is ironic that one of the favourites for this competition is Tullamore’s Lauren Pyke – a Junior.

She has a tough start against a Former National Strokeplay Champion in the shape of Christina Carroll. Carroll is very competent and will present a significant hurdle for the Offaly teenager. Not an insurmountable one though.

The winner of that game I would fancy to beat Castletown’s Margaret Muldoon, and make it to the Semi-final.

Annie Galvin needs to beat a pair of CYMC ladies to make the semi-finals. Nancy Stanbridge competed heroically last year in the Junior Ladies, but I cannot see her beating Annie in Erry. Eileen Nolan could put up a stiffer test, but I still would expect Annie to progress to the semi-final.

In the bottom half of the draw home player Linda Flanagan should make little fuss of defeating Noreen Myles for the right to play Louth’s Ann Ward in the Quarter-finals. Ann is a good solid lady player and will put it right up to Flanagan, but it remains to be seen whether or not “solid” is good enough. I suspect it won’t.

I would expect Deirdre Byrne to defeat her opponent from Lucan to make the semi’s also.

The prospects are good for an All-Offaly semi-final. The questions that remain are:

Will youth prosper over experience?

&

Will there be an all-Tullamore final.

I’ll answer yes and no to those two questions respectively, with Linda Flanagan being my favourite, with Lauren Pyke as the dark horse....

The Ladies Senior Matchplay is a very different prospect. There was a solid entry, sadly Margaret Hogan couldn’t be available, as that would have really upped the ante. Ger Ward, Sheelagh Elmes and Siobhan Keely’s absence will all be keenly felt. Naturally enough I’d love to see the Down ladies get involved again. Anyway I digress!

The draw has been kind to some, and cruel to others. Liz Bloem for example is good enough to beat most, yet was first name out of the hat in the prelims. Unfortunately for Liz, Tracey McGrath’s name was second out. Ouch! Poor Pauline Balfe awaits the winner. Tracey, barring an unmitigated disaster will make the quarter-finals.

There she will face Chrissie Byrne, who will surely have enough in the locker to see off Ger Edwards (if she defeats Lucan’s Kathleen Croke)? That sets up the tie of the championship between Tracey McGrath and Chrissie Byrne. I cannot tell who would win this game. Anywhere else in the country and on recent form you’d say Chrissie, but I don’t think Chrissie and the Erry course are too compatible, so allied to what will surely be a partisan crowd, Tracey probably has the upper hand.

The next semi-finalist should come from either Maree O’Toole or Barbara Furlong. Maree needs to dispose of whoever advances from the Mairead O’Toole/Ger Holland tie, and I’m sure she will. Barbara Furlong on the other hand needs to advance past Collinstown’s Anne Kelly, and then RGSC’s Claire Keely, which will be easier said than done.

Helen Greagsby should advance float past Ann Bird, and play Susan Adams for a Q/F spot. A good prospect that, and hard to decide. Helen by a  narrow margin. She will face either Marian Byrne or Linda Thomson, both of whom should be able to contend with Erry’s Helen Wynne. Thomson is seeking revenge for past defeats; it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

The final semi-finalist should be Tara Dillon. She must negotiate a game with Lucan’s Brenda Purcell before duelling with the winner of the Margaret Keogh (Byrne)/ Phil Condron tie. Phil could spring a surprise there and should put it up to Tara, but it’s hard to see her winning it.

That would leave Tracey/Chrissie vs Maree O’Toole and Marian/Linda vs Tara Dillon.