Defending champion Paula Grant and leading qualifier Jessica Ross crashed out in the first round of the Irish Women's Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone.

Ross was beaten by two holes by Baltray's Roisín Brady while Lisburn star Grant went down by the minimum after a titanic struggle with Lahinch's Sinead Sexton.

Sexton was the 31st of the 32 qualifiers for the matchplay stages after rounds of 79 and 86 and as a result she faces another tough match today against Royal County Down Ladies' Olivia Mehaffey, who had to battle hard to defeat Ennis' Sarah Cunningham one up.

In the Plate competition for the Ita Wallace Trophy, Killarney's Valerie Clancy and Waterford Castle's Katie Aherne cruised into the last eight.

Irish Women's Amateur Close Championship, Enniscrone GC.

Championship Round One

• Roisin Brady (Co. Louth) bt Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 2 up 
• Louise Coffey (Malone) bt Gillian O'Leary (The Island) 2/1
• Aedin Murphy (Carlow) bt Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) 4/3 
• Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) bt Rachel Taylor (Laytown & Bettystown) 3/2 
• Mary Doyle (The Heath) bt Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) 1 up 
• Karen Delaney (Carlow) bt Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) 3/2 
• Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) bt Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown) 3/1 
• Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) bt Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) 2 up 
• Jessica Carty (Holywood) bt Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) 4/3 
• Mary Dowling (New Ross) bt Caitriona Griffin (Killarney) 3/2 
• Darcey Carr (Milltown) bt Mairead Martin (Killarney) 2/1
• Amy Farrell (Moate) bt Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 1 up
• Maria Dunne (Skerries) bt Ellie Metcalfe (Laytown & Bettystown) 4/3
• Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) bt Niamh Ward (Lurgan) 19th
• Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) bt Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 1 up
• Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) bt Paula Grant (Lisburn) 1 up

Monday — Championship Draw, Round Two

• (08:30) Roisin Brady (Co. Louth) v Louise Coffey (Malone)
• (08:39) Aedin Murphy (Carlow) v Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion)
• (08:48) Mary Doyle (The Heath) v Karen Delaney (Carlow)
• (08:57) Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) v Chloe Ryan (Castletroy)
• (09:06) Jessica Carty (Holywood) v Mary Dowling (New Ross)
• (09:15) Darcey Carr (Milltown) v Amy Farrell (Moate)
• (09:24) Maria Dunne (Skerries) v Sarah Helly (Enniscrone)
• (09:33) Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) v Sinead Sexton (Lahinch)

Plate (Ita Wallace Trophy)

Round One

• Valerie Clancy (Killarney) bt Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) 4/3 
• Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) bt Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) 22nd
• Ciara Casey (Hermitage) bt Aisling Parker (Greenore) 6/5 
• Orla Barry (Galway) bt Nicole McGavisk (Donabate) 2 up 
• Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) bt Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) 3/2 
• Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle) bt Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 4/3 
• Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) bt Rachel Thompson (Cork) 2/1 
• Gertie McMullen (The Island) bt Christine Armanasco (Belturbet) 4/2

Monday - Plate, Quarter-Finals

(13:30) Valerie Clancy (Killarney) v Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge)
(13:39) Ciara Casey (Hermitage) v Orla Barry (Galway)
(13:48) Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) v Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle)
(13:57) Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) v Gertie McMullen (The Island)