Ireland’s leading amateur golfers will carry national hopes across Europe this week as four teams compete in the European Women’s, Men’s, Girls’ and Boys’ Team Championships.
A total of 24 players will represent Ireland, with the Women’s Team enjoying home advantage as the European Women’s Team Championship takes place at Slieve Russell Golf and Country Club in County Cavan.
Beth Coulter, Olivia Costello, Kate Dillon, Rebekah Gardner, Katie Poots and Jessica Ross make up the six-player squad, captained by Gillian O’Leary, with Clodagh Walsh as manager and Donal Scott as coach.
“It’s brilliant,” said O’Leary. “It’s not always that players get an opportunity to play at home in a European Championship. We’re delighted to be in Slieve Russell, all the girls’ games are in good shape. They all like the course and are looking forward to the week.”
The Irish team arrives in strong form, with Dillon earning selection after winning the East of Ireland Women’s Amateur Championship, while Costello, Ross, Gardner and Poots have all impressed in recent competition. Coulter, one of Ireland’s most experienced amateur internationals, returns following another Curtis Cup campaign and is approaching one of her final appearances before turning professional.
“She’s really well respected,” said O’Leary. “She’s as good a golfer as she is a person, and she’s a real leader in the team.”
Ireland’s Men’s Team will compete in Estonia, with captain Damien Coyne naming the same six players who finished fourth in Killarney last year. Stuart Grehan, John Doyle, Thomas Higgins, Matthew McClean, Caolan Rafferty and Gavin Tiernan will look to build on that performance.
Grehan travels in particularly strong form after his recent victory at Royal Liverpool, where he became the 131st Amateur Champion.
“It’s great to go to the European Team Championships with the Amateur Champion as part of your team,” said Coyne. “It’s given everyone a great lift.”
The Girls’ Team, led again by Brenda Craig, will compete in Zurich, Switzerland, looking to follow up on last year’s bronze-medal success. Hannah Lee-McNamara, Kayleigh Mulholland and Zoe McLean-Tattan were part of that medal-winning team and are joined by Ella Cantwell, Emma Vinarcik and Jessica Reynolds.
Craig said last year’s experience could prove valuable as Ireland looks to challenge again.
“It was an amazing experience last year, and even to equal that would be brilliant,” she said. “But one or two better, we wouldn’t say no.”
The Boys’ Team travels to Costa Navarino in Greece, where captain John Carroll has set a clear target of promotion back to Division One following last year’s relegation.
John William Burke, Adam Fahey and Isaac Oliver return to the side, while Flogas Irish Boys’ Champion Luke Furlong, John Moran and Harry O’Hara will make their European Team Championship debuts.
“The target this year is to get promotion back to Division One,” said Carroll. “The top two are guaranteed to come up, but we’re going out there to win it, to get the gold medal and to get back to the big one for the following year.”
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Image Credit: Slieve Russell GC
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