ILGU - Ireland with high hopes following recent form

The Senior Home International Matches will take place at Alyth Golf Club, Scotland from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 of September. Not only will Ireland enter the Matches as Senior European Team Champions, they also will have recent Irish Senior Open Stroke Play Champion Gertie McMullen (The Island) and 2016 British Senior Amateur Open Champion Laura Webb (East Berkshire) within their ranks.

Given the recent form of the team and of its players, Ireland are still not guaranteed to take home the prize after three days of competition at Alyth. England, who are European Team Championship semi-finalists and Home International Champions for the past 3 years, will not be allowing their title to travel across the Irish Sea that easily, setting the stage for a tough battle when the two sides meet on day one of the International Matches. Meanwhile Scotland, with home advantage, and Wales be determined to improve on their third and fourth place finishes in last year’s matches at Elm Park Golf Club.

A combination of new blood and experience forms this year’s Irish Senior Home International Team. Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna), Sheena McElroy (Grange), Gertie McMullen (The Island), Laura Webb (East Berkshire) and Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown) will bring their knowledge and expertise from previous matches to the team room, while rookies Maria O’Reilly (Headfort) and Mary Sheehy (Tralee) will be hoping to emulate the determination that secured them a place on the team to obtain the trophy for Ireland at the end of the week.

Alyth Golf Club, originally designed by Old Tom Morris in 1894, was completed by James Braid in 1934. The Heathland course demands constant attention as a combination of tree lined fairways and diverse rolling terrain emphasise precision rather than distance. For that reason it may be the most accurate of the four teams that emerge victorious on Thursday evening.

Irish Team
Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna)

Sheena McElroy (Grange)

Gertie McMullen (The Island)

Maria O’Reilly (Headfort)

Mary Sheehy (Tralee)

Laura Webb (East Berkshire)

Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown)
Captain: Pauline Walsh (Headfort)     
Manager: Valerie Hassett (ILGU President/Ennis)

Order of play at Alyth
Day 1 – Scotland v Wales, England v Ireland
Day 2 – Ireland v Wales, England v Scotland
Day 3 – Wales v England, Scotland v Ireland

Each day sees 3 foursomes teeing off at 8.30am and 5 singles played at 13.10.