Latest news with #BrendaCraig
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Tralee girls shine but Ireland fall just short again Scots
Ireland Girls' captain Brenda Craig acknowledged a heroic from her players while the combined side fell just short against Scotland on the opening day of the R&A Boys' & Girls' Home Internationals in Cork. England lead the overall and Girls' standings following their comprehensive 13-8 victory over Wales, as Scotland defeated the hosts 11-10. However, Ireland are just one game point shy of the English in the Girls' standings, before they renew rivalries tomorrow. The combined Irish side had made a fast start and took a 4-3 lead after the morning foursomes against Scotland. Hannah Lee-McNamara and Zoe McLean-Tattan, Kate Dillon and Róisín Scanlon, and Tralee pair Lucy Grattan and Ella Moynihan all won their matches for a clean sweep for the Girls. Caelan Coleman and Harry O'Hara combined for an important point for the Boys. Scanlon and Dillon both won their singles matches in the afternoon and despite further wins for Isaac Oliver, William O'Riordan and John William Burke, Ireland came up just short. 'A little bit disappointed with the overall result but we still got 10 points which is a good start for everybody for the week,' said Craig. 'The girls had a really good day, three great wins in the foursomes this morning followed up with two wins and two halves this afternoon, so we won our Girls' section 6-3, absolutely delighted and looking forward now to England tomorrow. 'We would have preferred to keep the English game until Thursday but we have to play them at some stage so really looking forward to it. 'We beat them in the Girls' match in the Home Internationals last year, we beat them not so long ago in the quarter-finals of the Europeans, so looking forward to another great match tomorrow. First match out so the girls will be going out fresh and looking forward to it. 'Three new girls in and the two Tralee girls getting a super win this morning, and Ella Cantwell getting an absolutely fabulous half this afternoon, so our experienced girls and the new girls are mixing and blending really well. 'There's a long way to go and hopefully we're chatting tomorrow afternoon and I have another smile on my face.' England also impressed against Wales on Tuesday. Charlotte Naughton and Annabel Peaford were part of a 7&6 win, there were three 4&3 results in their favour too as England took a 5-2 lead from the morning foursomes. Naughton had another big 7&6 win in the afternoon, with Alex Boyes (6&5) and Aaron Moody (8&7) also shining. 'We had a really good start in the foursomes, so that's always good to get a couple of points on the board because that's always difficult,' said England captain India Clyburn. 'This afternoon in the singles, we had some good battles out there, hard-fought matches to the end, and some good comebacks from the matches that we did lose, but all really good.'
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's Girls' and Boys' chasing glory at Home Internationals in Cork
Ireland's top amateur golfers are set to compete on two fronts this week as the R&A Home Internationals get underway at Cork Golf Club and Woodhall Spa, with four squads aiming to make their mark against England, Scotland and Wales. This year Brenda Craig (Roganstown) and John Carroll (Cork) will hope home comforts drive their Girls' and Boys' to glory on the Little Island course while Men's team captain Damien Coyne (Tuam) and Women's team captain Gillian O'Leary (The Island) lead their squads to the home of England Golf, aiming to defend their crown. Boys' captain Carroll, a 35-year member of the host club, is optimistic that local knowledge could be a decisive factor in what's expected to be a highly competitive contest. 'It's brilliant for the lads to see the course and for the other countries to come and see the course. I'm obviously biased, but I think it's a great golf course,' said Carroll. 'They can't wait to represent their country. The fact that it's in Ireland, all their families, all their friends will be attending. The fact that it's at home in front of their own family and friends, the lads are super excited, they're really pumped up.' John William Burke (Ballyhaunis), Caelan Coleman (Galway Bay), Adam Fahey (Portmarnock), Bruce MacDonald (Lisburn), John Moran (Portmarnock), Barry O'Connell (Douglas), Harry O'Hara (Clandeboye), Isaac Oliver (Glasson) and William O'Riordan (Greystones) make up the nine strong Boys' squad. The Irish Girls' team enters with plenty of momentum following a bronze medal winning performance at last month's Girls' European Team Championships in England, where they secured a first medal in 19 years. Captain Brenda Craig (Roganstown) retains four members from that squad, with Róisín Scanlon (Woburn), Zoe McLean-Tattan (Romford), Kate Dillon (Oughterard) and Hannah Lee-McNamara (Royal Portrush) all teeing up. They are joined by the Tralee pairing of Ella Moynihan and Lucy Grattan and Esker Hills golfer Ella Cantwell who have all impressed domestically this season. 'It's the first medal that we've won in 19 years, so delighted for the girls, they fought really hard and were very much deserving of their bronze medals,' said Craig. 'We have three new girls joining us, Ella Moynihan who's topped the Order of Merit and Ella Cantwell and Lucy Grattan who have won three out of the four regional championships between them. Really looking forward to the experience of the four girls teaming up with the three new girls on the panel and very much looking forward to a good week in Cork.' Meanwhile the Irish Men's and Women's team travel to Lincolnshire aiming to build on their historic 2024 victory, when a dramatic 7-7 draw against England on the final day saw the combined team secure victory at Murcar Links. Flogas Irish Men's Amateur Open champion Stuart Grehan (Co. Louth) joins a Men's lineup that includes East of Ireland winner David Howard (Fota Island), South of Ireland champion Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), Sean Keeling (Roganstown), Keith Egan (Carton House) John Doyle (Fota Island), Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) and Gavin Tiernan (Co. Louth). Bridgestone Order of Merit leader Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) will be part of a seven strong Irish Women's team alongside AIG Irish Women's Amateur Close champion Anna Dawson (Tramore), Olivia Costello (Roscommon), Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye), Anna Abom (Edmondstown), Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) and Emma Fleming (Elm Park). Ireland will once again face England, Scotland and Wales with the combined team scores from the Men's and Women's matches determining the overall champions. The same format will apply at Cork, where the Boys' and Girls' squads will also contest combined honours. Proceedings get underway at Cork Golf Club on Tuesday morning before action at Woodhall Spa begins on Wednesday.
