Pitch & Putt IrelandLadies International Trial
McDonagh prospects analysed
Two places on the Irish team for the inaugural European Ladies Team championship will be up for grabs at McDonagh on Sunday, tee-off time 10.30am.
Seven of the sixteen players participating in the trial have already represented Ireland on international teams.
Multiple Irish ladies champion Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock) made her international debut against the touring Catalans at I.G.B. in 2000. Ger played in the Ireland v. Rest of Europe matches in 2000, 2003, 2003 and 2007. After helping Ireland defeat the Netherlands in the 2008 Willie Parker Challenge Cup at RGSC, she made further international appearances against the Catalans in 2011, 2018 and 2023. 2018 Irish Open winner at Seapoint, Ger’s international Matchplay record is: Foursomes: W5 L3 H0; Fourballs: W4 L3 H0; Singles: W5 L2 H2. Ten times Ireland’s No. 1 ranked player at season’s end, Ger is currently ranked at No. 7.
Chrissie Sheedy (Ryston) has the best chance of all to make the Irish team. The top-ranked player after Sunday’s trial will complete the three-person set-up alongside the two players that qualify automatically and Chrissie currently leads the ranking list. Her recent form around McDonagh Is good, having claimed victory in the 2024 Ireland Master, with a three-round tally of 154 at the Curragh venue. Chrissie first played for Ireland at McDonagh against the Rest of Europe alongside the 2003 European Team championship. Having represented Ireland in the 2006 World Cup at Teia, Chrissie made further international appearances in the 2006 Willie Parker Challenge Cup, against the Rest of Europe in 2007 and versus Catalonia in 2018 and 2023. Chrissie was the 2009 and 2013 World Ladies Strokeplay champion. Chrissie has a proven record at McDonagh having also won a Leinster Strokeplay along with National and provincial Inter-County championships there.
2016 British Ladies Open winner Mary Murray (Rocklodge) played in the 2018 and 2023 International Challenges against Catalonia at Seapoint and Montseny respectively. Her International Matchplay Record is: Foursomes: W1 L1 H0; Fourballs: W0 L0 H1; Singles: W1 L1 H0. Mary won the 2016 British Ladies Open at Dagenham with a 54 hole tally of 165 from fellow Irish players Marian Courtney and Eleanor Walsh. Mary returned to Dagenham two years later to claim second spot in the 2018 British Ladies Open behind Dutch lady Esther de Schiffart. She has been second at an Irish Open – at Rocklodge in 2016, on the course where she also won her Irish Matchplay title. Mary won the 2018 National Ladies Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship with 107 at McDonagh.
2024 WPPT Ireland Master runner-up at McDonagh, Glenda Hoey (Lucan) has extensive team representative experience as a member of Dublin Inter-County squads. A national winner at RGSC in 2016, Glenda Hoey holds four Leinster gold medals, four National silver gongs and three provincial second places. Called into the Ireland set-up due to the unfortunate injury to Liz Quinn at Montseny in 2023, Glenda’s International Matchplay Record reads: Foursomes: W1 L0 L0; Fourballs: W0 L1 H0; Singles: W0 L1 H0. 2025 Leinster Matchplay runner-up last week to Chrissie Sheedy at Navan, Glenda won the 2019 Leinster Strokeplay championship at Kilbeggan. She is a three-time Dublin County champion.
Munster Matchplay champion for the eleventh time last weekend, Breda White (Tipperary Hills) won the 2018 World Ladies Senior (Over 55) Strokeplay championship. Rounds of 56, 55 and 58 at Verin, Spain saw the Tipperary lady tie with Catalan legend Pilar Montero before prevailing in the play-off. Breda was a five stroke winner at Rocklodge in the 2016 Irish Ladies Open. Third in the 2024 Irish Open at Ryston, Breda starred for Tipperary when the Premier ladies claimed National Inter-County honours at McDonagh in 2019. Another member of the Ireland team at Montseny two years back, Breda’s International Matchplay Record is: Foursomes: W1 L0 H0 Fourballs: W0 L1 H0 Singles: W0 L1 H0
A member of the Ireland teams that defeated the Rest of Europe in 2005 and in 2007, Tara Dillon (Ryston) helped Ireland to victory over the Netherlands in the 2008 Willie Parker Challenge Cup match at RGSC. Tara scored a 151 aggregate to be an impressive wire to wire ladies winner of the 2024 Irish Open at Ryston. Tara holds the following International Matchplay Record: Foursomes: W2 L0 H0; Fourballs: W2 L0 H0; Singles: W2 L2 H0. Another proven performer over the McDonagh course, Tara helped Kildare to the millennium National Inter-County championship and the 2007 Leinster Inter-County over the excellent Curragh layout.
Margaret Hogan (Tullamore) was crowned National Ladies Matchplay champion at McDonagh in 1997. She played on the Ireland team that beat the Rest of Europe at McDonagh in 2003. Having also helped Ireland to wins over their continental rivals at Overbetuwe in 2005 and Chia in 2007, Margaret returned to the international scene for the 2018 Seapoint encounter with the touring Catalans. Margaret claimed third spot in the 2014 Irish Open at Glenville. She also tied for third place in the 2011 Irish Ladies Open at Deerpark, utimately pipped into fourth by Martha O’Brien on the tiebreaker. Margaret’s International Matchplay Record: Foursomes: W1 L1 H0; Fourballs: W0 L0 H0; Singles: W2 L0 H0. Current Pitch and Putt Ireland ranking: 9
2022 Irish Open champion at Tullamore, Eleanor Walsh (Fermoy) has won Pitch and Putt titles across Ireland since the late 1970s when she claimed the 1978 Irish Girls Strokeplay championship as an 11-year-old. After a gap of many years, when she concentrated on her hockey career and played only club Pitch and Putt, Eleanor returned to the championship circuit and picked-up many more medals. Arguably, the pinnacle of all Eleanor's success laden career arrived on a July 2017 weekend in Norway when scores of 56, 56, 53 and 55 around Injelt clinched the ladies title at the III World Strokeplay championship. Eleanor placed second in the 2024 Irish Open at Ryston. Her current Pitch and Putt Ireland ranking is 13.
Ailish Sexton (Fermoy) was runner-up to Kim Kuijsters at the recent Catalan Open in BonArea. 2012 National Ladies Junior Strokeplay champion, Ailish’s current Pitch and Putt Ireland ranking is 15. Ailish teamed-up with her husband David to win the 2011 National Mixed Foursomes and to fill second place in the 2024 Catalan International Pairs at Sant Cebria. Ailish represented Munster in the Interprovincial Challenge at Lakeside last year. 2024 National Intermediate Strokeplay runner-up at Stackallen, Ailish has two Munster Inter-County winners’ medals with Cork. Ailish posted a four round aggregate of 222 to capture third position at the 2024 World Ladies Strokeplay championship at Vigo.
Currently Ireland’s No. 6 ranked player, Sarah O’Neill (Collins) won the Irish Ladies Open at Lough Owel in 2020. All Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup winner at Rocklodge in 2018, Sarah represented Munster in the Interprovincial Challenge at Lakeside last year. 2023 Munster Matchplay champion, Sarah was runner-up with Cork in the 2023 National Inter-County championship. 1996 National Mixed Foursomes runner-up with her father Finbarr, Sarah took an extended break from the sport, before returning to claim the National Junior Strokeplay championship title in 2014 and two National Intermediate Strokeplay championship wins - in 2020 and in 2022. Sarah has two Munster Inter-County wins with Cork.
Ireland’s No. 5 ranked player is reigning National Matchplay champion Amy Galvin (Tullamore). Amy was Irish Girls Strokeplay champion in 2012 (at St. Bridget’s) and in 2014 (at Navan) while she was 2013 runner-up in the same championship at Pfizer. A Leinster Juvenile Inter-County runner-up (with Offaly) in 2013, Amy was five times provincial Girls’ Strokeplay champion. Winner of the overall Westmeath Classic at Kilbeggan in 2023, Amy teamed-up with her dad Anthony to win Leinster Mixed Foursomes Best Gross in 2023 at Kilbeggan. Amy bagged 1½ points out of two for Leinster against Munster last November.
A regular winner at the Leinster Ladies Social Days (including at McDonagh in 2024), Louise Grace (RGSC) holds a current Pitch and Putt Ireland ranking of 18. 12th in the 2024 Catalan Open, Louise was a Leinster Ladies Inter-County winner with Dublin in 2024 alongside Glenda Hoey and Ger Ward, with whom she also collected National silver medals at Bagenalstown in 2024. A loyal supporter of all events on the Pitch and Putt circuit, Louise is at present the holder of the Ashgrove, Bagenalstown and RGSC Ladies Scratch Cups and the Athgarvan Founders Cup ladies category.
Siobhan Keely (Lucan) whose current Pitch and Putt Ireland ranking is 25 was Dublin Matchplay champion in 2008 and 2022 and County Strokeplay runner-up to Geraldine Ward in 2015. She formed an enduring Pitch and Putt partnership with Junior Smith and the pair enjoyed considerable success, both Nett and Gross, in Mixed Foursomes events. National Inter-County winner with Dublin in 2011 and in 2016, Siobhan also holds five Leinster gold medals (collected in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015). Leinster Strokeplay runner-up to Geraldine Ward in 2012, Siobhan has been a regular competitor at international tournaments in recent years, including last year's WPPT Ireland Master at McDonagh.
Marion Gannon Kelly (McDonagh) is the reigning All Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup champion, having claimed the title at Larkspur Park last year. Leinster Inter-County runner-up with Kildare at Poulaphouca two years ago, Marion helped the Lilywhites (alongside Chrissie Sheedy and Tara Dillon) to All Ireland glory at Bagenalstown last September. Runner-up in the 2024 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay championship at Portmarnock, Marion captured the All Ireland Junior Strokeplay championship crown with 118 at Lakeside two years ago.
Currently Ireland’s 17th ranked player, Margaret Hennessy (Riverdale) won the 2023 National Intermediate Strokeplay championship at Riverdale before contesting a play-off for the 2024 crown at Stackallen, narrowly losing out to Valerie Rogers (Cloghogue). National Junior Strokeplay champion in 2021 at Tullamore, Margaret teamed-up with fellow Nenagh player Sean Minogue to finish second in the 2024 National Mixed Foursomes at Lakeside. All Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup winner in 2020 at Larkspur Park, Margaret played for Munster at Lakeside last November.
Collinstown’s Liz Quinn has been victorious at eight international opens - French Open 2006, 2007, San Marino Open 2006, 2007, 2008, Dutch Open 2013, Australian Open 2007 and Australian Matchplay 2007. Liz claimed her maiden Irish national championship (Strokeplay at Tullamore) in 2021 and won the 2022 All Ireland Matchplay championship at Douglas. Twice Leinster Matchplay finalist in recent seasons, Liz is a two-time Best Gross winner at the National Mixed Foursomes. All Ireland Mixed Foursomes winner with Paul Bray in 2001, Liz was due to make a first international team appearance against Catalonia in 2023 before sadly, injury intervened.
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