Mehaffey leads Close qualifiers at Rosapenna

Olivia Mehaffey. Picture: Pat Cashman

Olivia Mehaffey birdied two of her last four holes to head the qualifiers in the Irish Women's Close  from Enniscrone's Sarah Helly and set up a first round clash with Laytown and Bettystown's Barbara Cooney at Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort on Sunday.

The reigning Irish Under 18, Scottish Strokeplay and Welsh Strokeplay champion shot a second successive level par 73 on the Old Tom Morris Links as US based Sarah Helly from Enniscrone followed a 72 with a 74.

According to the ILGU, there was sunshine and little wind in the morning before the breeze got up in the afternoon as the top 32 players after the qualifying rounds progress to the Championship matchplay with the next best 16 compete in the Plate.

CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW

1. 09:42 Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) v Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown)
2. 09:51 Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) v Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe)
3. 10:00 Ciara Casey (Hermitage) v Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) 
4. 10:09 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) v Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) 
5. 10:18 Maria Dunne (Skerries) v Ailish McCartan (Greenore) 
6. 10:27 Jessica Carty (Holywood) v Karen Delaney (Carlow) 
7. 10:36 Mary Dowling (New Ross) v Laura Doherty (Howth) 
8. 10:45 Niamh Ward (Lurgan) v Shannen Brown (The Heath)
9. 10:54 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) v Fiona Farrell (Skerries)  
10. 11:03 Gillian O'Leary (The Island) v Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 
11. 11:12 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) v Valerie Clancy (Killarney) 
12. 11:21 Paula Grant (Lisburn) v Roisin Brady (Co Louth) 
13. 11:30 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) v Nicole McGavisk (Donabate)  
14. 11:39 Mary Doyle (The Heath) v Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle)  
15. 11:48 Louise Coffey (Malone) v Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) 
16. 11:57 Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) v Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle)

PLATE DRAW

1. 08:30 Elisa Corcoran (Grange) v Kate Dwyer (Rossmore)
2. 08:39 Claire McGonagle (Portsalon) v Maeve Rooney (Co Sligo)  
3. 08:48 Jenny Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) v Noreen Maloney (Oughterard) 
4. 08:57 Danielle McVeigh (RCD Ladies) v Catherine McCanny (City of Derry)  
5. 09:06 Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) v Rachel Thompson (Cork) 
6. 09:15 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) v Sara Byrne (Douglas) 
7. 09:24 Maeve Kelly (Castle Dargan) v Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden)  
8. 09:33 Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) v Deborah McCooke (Galgorm Castle)

Irish Women's Close, strokeplay qualifying, Rosapenna, Old Tom Morris Links (Par 73)

Detailed scores

146 Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) 73 73 (leading qualifier), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone Golf Club) 72 74

150 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan Golf Club) 73 77

151 Maria Dunne (Skerries Golf Club) 74 77

152 Mary Dowling (New Ross Golf Club) 75 77, Louise Coffey (Malone Golf Club) 72 80

153 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy Golf Club) 75 78

154 Ciara Casey (Hermitage Golf Club) 75 79, Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell Golf Club) 74 80

155 Paula Grant (Lisburn Golf Club) 78 77, Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 77 78

156 Niamh Ward (Lurgan Golf Club) 76 80, Jessica Carty (Holywood Golf Club) 76 80

158 Mary Doyle (The Heath Golf Club) 80 78

159 Gillian O'Leary (Island) 81 78, Sinead Sexton (Lahinch Golf Club) 80 79

160 Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe Golf Club) 78 82

161 Jessica Ross (Donaghadee Golf Club) 83 78, Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle) 80 81

163 Karen Delaney (Carlow Golf Club) 86 77, Shannen Brown (The Heath Golf Club) 82 81, Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle Golf Club) 81 82

164 Roisin Brady (Co. Louth Golf Club) 86 78, Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington Golf Club) 82 82, Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry Golf Club) 80 84, Valerie Clancy (Killarney Golf Club) 79 85

165 Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 84 81, Laura Doherty (Howth Golf Club) 80 85

167 Ailish McCartan (Greenore Golf Club) 83 84

169 Nicole McGavisk (Donabate Golf Club) 89 80, Fiona Farrell (Skerries Golf Club) 87 82

170 Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown) 86 84

171 Elisa Corcoran (Grange Golf Club) 82 89

172 Maeve Cummins (Lurgan Golf Club) 82 90

173 Maeve Kelly (Castle Dargan) 86 87

174 Jenny Sykes (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 84 90, Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry Golf Club) 84 90

175 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co. Down Ladies) 94 81, Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club) 90 85, Vivienne Houston (City of Derry Golf Club) 87 88, Claire McGonagle (Portsalon Golf Club) 83 92

177 Jenny Hennessy (Lahinch Golf Club) 90 87, Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 88 89

178 Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club) 91 87

179 Deborah McCooke (Galgorm Castle Golf Club) 92 87, Catherine McCanny (City of Derry Golf Club) 88 91

180 Noreen Maloney (Oughterard Golf Club) 91 89, Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club) 85 95

184 Rachel Thompson (Cork Golf Club) 88 96

190 Kate Dwyer (Rossmore Golf Club) 95 95
WD/DQ Chloe Weir (Shandon Park Golf Club) 81 WD,  Aedin Murphy (Carlow Golf Club) DQ