Roscommon ladies win maiden foursomes title
The Roscommon Golf Club team that were crowned AIG Women’s Senior Foursomes champions for the first time on Friday last. Back row (l-r): Maeve Kelly, Sinead Benedetti, Paula Quinn, Mary Cunningham, Club President; Ann Quirke and Leah Lennon. Front row (l-r): Paula Miley, Lady Captain; Sheila Fallon and Joan O’Gara, joint captains, and Ruth Lennon. Missing from the picture are Rosemary and Blaithin O’Brien. Pictures: Gerard O'Loughlin
Roscommon Golf Club made it third time lucky by being crowned All-Ireland champions on Friday last.
The club’s senior ladies’ foursomes team made the most of the glorious sunshine at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club by beating Malone to be crowned AIG Women’s Senior Foursomes champions.
The club had been beaten in two previous finals, but they earned the ultimate reward on this occasion.
The panel were made up of Joan O’Gara, Ruth Lennon, Sinead Benedetti, Anne Quirke, Leah Lennon, Maeve Kelly, Paula Quinn, Rosemary O’Brien, Blaithin O’Brien and Paula Miley. The team were captained by Sheila Fallon and Joan O’Gara.
On Thursday, the team recorded a great win over Belvoir Park in the morning, winning their matches 2.5 to 0.5. The afternoon matches against Douglas came down to their second match, which headed down the 19th. Maeve Kelly and Leah Lennon made a great par save on the first tie hole to put Roscommon through to the All-Ireland final where they defeated Malone comfortably.
“For me as Lady Captain, it’s the icing on the cake. Alongside Sinead Benedetti and Paula Quinn, we were on the last women’s team that brought an All-Ireland title to the club 19 years ago. For lightning to strike twice really is a dream come true,” said Paula Miley.
Team captains Sheila Fallon and Joan O’Gara admitted that the team were the underdogs ahead of the tournament, but praised the players for acquitting themselves brilliantly on the national stage.
“We knew that we had the winning of it, having been runners-up in 2017 and 2018. Overall, we played very well, but each round was quite difficult,” acknowledged Sheila.
Joan O’Gara highlighted how many of the same players have represented the team down through the years, including three mother and daughter combinations — Ruth Lennon and her daughter Leah; Rosemary O’Brien and her daughter Blaithin, and Paula Quinn and her daughter Orla (who was unavailable this year). Teenage sensation, Olivia Costello, has also been part of the team in recent years.
“We’re all very close and the camaraderie among the team is very special. A lot of the same players have been playing for years.
“Dun Laoghaire is a beautiful place, but it was tough going in the sunshine. We beat a highly fancied Douglas team before getting the better of Malone in the final. That was sweet because they had beaten us in last year’s semi-final,” admitted Joan.
Sheila thanked Lady Captain Paula Miley, Roscommon Golf Club, its members, and sponsors — Rogue and Co Café and O’Brien Mushrooms — admitting it was very special to bring the All-Ireland title home to the club for the first time.
“We had a wonderful evening in the clubhouse among family and friends. It was so special. We know that the club is very proud of our achievement,” concluded Sheila.
