The semi-final matches are set at the Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship being played this week at Westport Golf Club.
Leading qualifier Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) comfortably cruised through her round of 16 and quarter final matches, beating Oonagh Purfield-Goulding (Co. Louth) and Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook) 5&4.
The upset of the afternoon came when 4-time champion Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) bowed out to Gail Linter (Belvoir Park), the match finishing on the 18th green.
“I feel really pleased, I just hung on really, I can’t actually believe it,” said Linter. “I’ve not played in many national events really, only a couple, but I’ve really enjoyed this and the match against Suzanne was great.”
An International Hockey player in the 1990’s, Linter said the competitive experience has helped this week: “You can always draw experience from other sports and bring it into your game, my nerves are shot though after today.”
Linter will face Smith on Friday now in a bid for a place in the final.
“I don’t know Deirdre but my plan is to go out and enjoy it and be thankful that I’m still in it because I didn’t expect to get this far. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. It’s a new day, new match.”
In the bottom half of the draw, Gertie McMullen (The Island) will take on Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) who beat Maria O’Reilly (Headfort) and Fionnuala Halpin (Dun Laoghaire) respectively.
The Plate matchplay has also progressed to the semi-final stages where Kate Evans (RCDL) will play Siobhan O’Herlihy (Muskerry) and Ann Moynihan-Ruddy will play Catherine Reilly (The Heath)
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