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Gillen saves the day for Irish

AMATEUR GOLF: Martina Gillen spared Ireland's blushes yesterday when she edged to an extra hole victory which gave Ireland the…

Fri Jul 11 2003 - 01:00

AMATEUR GOLF: Martina Gillen spared Ireland's blushes yesterday when she edged to an extra hole victory which gave Ireland the narrowest of successes against the Czech Republic in the European Ladies' Team Championship at Frankfurt.

With the match finely balanced at three each, Gillen embarked on the 19th hole against Stanislava Kopeitkova and a birdie three produced victory for a relieved Irish side.

Earlier the foursomes had been shared one apiece, but Vagliano Trophy team member Tricia Mangan and new cap Hellen Jones both lost their singles to bring about the knife-edge climax to a hot German day.

Meanwhile, in a big surprise Wales sent England tumbling out of contention with a 5-2 triumph and they now take on Sweden for a place in the final.

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Ireland's boys put behind them the disappointment of not qualifying for the top flight of their team championship at the Astoria club in the Czech Republic to defeat Norway 3-1 with one match halved.

EUROPEAN LADIES TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (Frankfurt) Second flight (positions 9-14): IRELAND 4 CZECH REPUBLIC 3 (Ireland names first): Foursomes: M Gillen and M Dunne lost to P Kvidova and Z Masinova 3 and 2; H Jones and C Coughlan bt S Ditertova and Z Potuznikova at 21st: Foursomes result: Ireland 1 Czech Republic 1; Singles: Gillen bt S Kopeitkova at 19th; T Mangan lost to Kvidova 3 and 2; Dunne bt Potuznikova 6 and 4; Jones lost to Masinova 1 hole; M Morrin bt Ditertova 5 and 4; Singles result: Ireland 3 Czech Republic 2

BOYS' EUROPEAN AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (Astoria golf club, Czech Republic) Second flight: IRELAND 3½ NORWAY 1½ (Ireland names first) Foursomes: D Rawluk and P O'Brien lost to K Granluck and M Thorp 2 and 1; Singles: A O'Callaghan bt K Bersheim at 20th; C McNamara bt A Olsen at 21st; G Shaw bt A Bastrup l hole; M Mulryan halved with K Kristoffesen.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Des Smyth shot a two-under-par 70 and Eamonn Darcy a one-over 73 in the first round of the Ford Senior Players Championship in Detroit, Michigan, yesterday.

Gil Morgan, with an opening eight-under-par 64, led the field by two shots.