Coffey to celebrate her big break

Alison Coffey will be hoping to celebrate her call-up to the Vagliano Trophy side with a victory in the Lancome Irish Ladies Close Championship which begins tomorrow at The European club. Coffey is looking to defend the title she won last year when beating Suzanne O'Brien in the final at Co Louth. The former Milltown golfer has since turned professional.

Coffey, has been in excellent form this season, reflected in her selection for the Vagliano which takes place in Italy. The Warrenpoint golfer managed to make the third round at the recent British Ladies Amateur Championship, the best performance by an Irish golfer, before losing to Nadina Taylor three and two.

She wasn't the leading Irish qualifier, that honour falling to Deirdre Smith (6th) with Yvonne Cassidy (21st) and Coffey (27th).

Cassidy is not playing is this week's Irish Close. Coffey, who leads the Order of Merit standings, will face tough competition at the European club this week.

Oonagh Purfield recently won the Lahinch Scratch Cup, a tournament in which former Irish Close champion Eileen Rose Power was third. Britain and Ireland squad member, Wexford's Elaine Dowdall, will entertain championship ambitions along with Claire Coughlan, Hazel Kavanagh, Sinead Keane and Smith.

Beaverstown golfer Martina Gillen has been in sparkling form on scholarship in the United States. Based at Kent State University, she has enjoyed an exceptional season, only once outside the top 20 for all collegiate tournaments in which she participated and that included nine top 10 finishes.

The Irish Close begins tomorrow with the first of two qualifying rounds - the other 18 holes takes place on Thursday - to discern the top 32 qualifiers for the matchplay stages.

The following is the Irish team for the European Team Championship, which will be played at Campo de Meis, Spain July 10-14th: Alison Coffey (Warrenpoint), Claire Coughlan (Cork); Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Hazel Kavanagh (Grange), Sinead Keane (Curragh), Deirdre Smith (Co Louth). Reserves in order: Elaine Dowdall (Wexford), Maura Morrin (Curragh), Jenny Gannon (Co. Louth).