Chrissie Sheedy (Ryston) will defend the Leinster Ladies Strokeplay championship on Saturday 18th July in Killineer.
Chrissie’s bid for a ninth provincial Strokeplay crown will be conducted in the company of Paula Lynch (Oldcastle) an as runner-up (at the 2026 venue) back in 2012.
Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock) was the 2012 champion at Killineer (or Cement as it was called then). A second win in Drogheda would give the Portmarnock powerhouse a landmark tenth win overall.
Geraldine’s fellow competitors in the opening group of the day are Dublin Inter-County team colleague Louise Grace (R.G.S.C.) and two-time graded Leinster Matchplay runner-up Mary Agnew (Collon).
After her win at McDonagh earlier in the season, past five-time Juvenile Strokeplay champion Amy Galvin seeks the provincial Matchplay/Strokeplay double.
Amy is paired with two-time Leinster Inter-County victor Tracey Smith (Lucan) and reigning Dublin Intermediate Matchplay champion Marie Dooley (RGSC).
Plenty of other past champions take to the first tee at Killineer. Margaret Hogan hasn’t won since 2001 but the Tullamore lady’s name is etched on the Cup seven times. Tracey Redmond (Lucan) won three times in four years (in 2005, 2007 and 2008). Sheelagh Elmes (Portmarnock) is celebrating the 40th anniversary of her 1986 success (in Co. Louth, at neighbouring Seapoint). Glenda Hoey (Lucan) won in 2019.
Sheelagh Elmes and Tracey Redmond will do battle alongside Marian Courtney (Ryston), three times a provincial Strokeplay runner-up but a four-time Leinster Matchplay winner.
Margaret Hogan and Glenda Hoey are drawn with Cloghogue’s Marina O’Rourke, three times a Leinster Matchplay finalist.
Old County’s Pauline Balfe (2018) and Ierne’s Helen Greagsbey (2010) are former winners of the Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay, a championship in which Tullamore’s Denise Pyke (twice) and Margaret Reilly (Oldcastle) have finished second.
Skryne’s Kathleen Geraghty has loyally supported provincial championships for decades, dating all the way back to her Leinster Junior Matchplay triumph in 1984.
Valerie Rogers (Cloghogue) finished second in the 2017 national Over-55s Intermediate grade Strokeplay championship while R.G.S.C.’s Ger Holland holds three provincial Inter-County silver medals.
Ger will be partnered by former Irish Strokeplay and Matchplay queen Liz Quinn (Collinstown) and Marian Gannon Kelly (Ryston), the 2024 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay runner-up.
To recently-crowned National Over-55s junior grade Strokeplay champion Elizabeth Maguire (Royal Meath) will go the honour of pitching the first ball of the 2026 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay championship at Killineer. Elizabeth’s playing partners for the day will be 2016 champion Sandra Keogh (Lucan) and four-time 2026 Scratch Cup winner Ann Hickey (Bagenalstown).
The next threeball also brims with quality. 2019 and 2020 Dublin Strokeplay champion Theresa King (RGSC) is joined by three-time Leinster Junior Matchplay champion Audrey Donnelly (MacBride) and the 2024 winner of that championship, Maria Cranney (Cloghogue).
Bronagh Crilly (Cloghogue) is the reigning Leinster Junior Strokeplay champion. Teresa Fagan (Royal Meath) was runner-up in the latter championship in 2013 before claiming the intermediate Matchplay title last year. Sabrina Ritchie (RGSC) is the current Dublin Junior Strokeplay champion.
Holder Susan Ritchie (R.G.S.C.) is paired with Mary Fullam (Shandon) who was 2015 Leinster Inter Strokeplay runner-up and current provincial Mixed Foursomes champion Tara Halpin (Rathfeigh).
2017 provincial Junior Matchplay champion Frances Farrell will fancy her chances on home turf alongside Lucan’s Adrienne Kelly, a session prize winner at last year’s National Mixed Foursomes and 2024 National Junior Strokeplay champion Ashlene McKevitt (Cloghogue).
Fresh from her recent Over-55s Strokeplay success at Rochfortbridge, Margaret Conneely (Trim) will tackle Killineer in the company of 2024 Leinster Junior Matchplay finalist Karen McVerry (Cloghogue) and 2024 GRIP Classic winner Claire Salmon (R.G.S.C.).
2025 Leinster Ladies Scotch Foursomes winner Rachel McNamara (Athgarvan) is partnered by 2023 Leinster Matchplay semi-finalist Angela Connolly (Eden) and the 2006 winner of this championship, Patricia McLoughlin (Shandon).
R.G.S.C.’s Lorraine Duggan is the reigning Dublin Junior Matchplay champion. Irene Reid (Portmarnock) filled third place in the 2024 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay championship.
Veronica Clarke (Kilbeggan) was 2006 National Over-55s junior grade Strokeplay champion.
New names dot the junior roster but we can expect title challenges to come from the likes of Royal Meath Scratch Cup Nett winner Angela Egan (Royal Meath), 2024 Leinster Non-Mixed Foursomes silver medallist Anne Jackson (Cloghogue), 2023 Leinster Mixed Foursomes runner-up Nuala Stafford (Stackallen) and Darlene Parr (Cloghogue), runner-up in the recent National Over-55s junior grade Strokeplay championship.
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