Preview - 2025 Munster Ladies Finals

By John Manning 

Munster Ladies Preview:

Holder Breda White’s (Tipperary Hills) bid for an incredible eleventh Munster Ladies Strokeplay crown will be marked by Ailish Sexton (Fermoy). Ailish was Munster’s Intermediate Strokeplay champion at Fermoy two years ago and 2018 provincial Matchplay finalist. Ailish won the 2017 Cork Intermediate Strokeplay at Collins.

Having won the provincial matchplay in 2024 and 2025, victory at Collins would give Breda a notable double double. 

2024 Senior Ladies runner-up and reigning Cork champion Sarah O’Neill of the host club will play alongside recently crowned World Ladies Over-55 Strokeplay champion Eleanor Walsh (Fermoy). Eleanor has won this Munster Strokeplay title on seven occasions. Sarah was the 2023 provincial Matchplay champion. One of Eleanor’s many Cork Strokeplay successes was at Collins in 2014

The small but elite senior grade field is completed by Mary Murray (Rocklodge) and Nicola Ahern (Collins). Mary won the Munster Strokeplay at Intermediate level in 2016 and claimed senior honours two years later. Nicola is the reigning Munster Intermediate Matchplay champion. Both have tasted success at Collins – Mary in the 2017 Cork Strokeplay championship and Nicola in last year’s County Intermediate Matchplay championship.

2025 National Over-55 Intermediate grade Strokeplay champion Margaret Hennessy (Riverdale) will be short odds to complete a swift double at Collins where she will partner 2018 Munster Junior Matchplay finalist Michelle Flynn (Fermoy).

Frances Ryan (Lakeside) was runner up to Margaret Hennessy last week and was also runner-up in the 2024 Munster Strokeplay. Frances’ fellow competitor at Collins will be Hillview’s Lorraine Creed, the 2024 provincial Junior Strokeplay champion.

First twoball out will bring together 2024 National Mixed Foursomes winner Eileen McCarthy (Deerpark) and three-time National graded Strokeplay champion Bridget Shelly (Lakeside).

Margaret Forde claimed third spot in the Over-55s on home soil last weekend and will contend here again as will fellow Tipperary lady Elaine Quinn (Lakeside), the inaugural All-Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup winner.

Few players know Collins better than Vera McCarthy and the 2024 Munster Matchplay runner-up will feature in a compelling group with current Strokeplay titleholder Liz Forde (Riverdale).

Collins’ own Megan Ahern has been a Munster Girls champion in both the Matchplay and Strokeplay disciplines. Megan plays with 2024 provincial Junior Matchplay winner Linda Griffin (Bishopstown).

Two other Tipperary contenders will be two-time former champion Mary Quinn (Lakeside) and 2022 Junior winner Gemma Martin (Hillview).

A former Munster Mixed Foursomes winner, Rocklodge’s Siobhan Foy is the reigning Cork Strokeplay champion.

2022 and 2024 Munster Matchplay runner-up Angie Royer (Bishopstown) will get the junior championship underway alongside Jo Henchin (St. Stephen’s) who won the 2022 Munster Ladies Social tournament.

2023 Munster Matchplay champion Catriona O’Connor (Tralee) plays with Larkspur Park’s Serena O’Neill who was in the prizes at Riverdale last weekend. 

2019 champion Margaret O’Donovan (Bruff) and 2023 winner Nuala McNamara of the host club are both in the field as is 2023 runner-up Gillian Morrissey (St. Anne’s).

Former All-Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup semi-finalist Veronica Anglim (Hillview) is paired with multiple Cork champion Eileen Hanley (Ranges).