Ireland put their foot on the accelerator to keep alive their European Women's Team Golf Championship hopes over the Saint-Germain course in Paris yesterday. They knew that they needed to improve on their first-day total, having started round two in ninth place out of the topflight positions - and improve they certainly did.
The Irish team was 14 strokes better yesterday and that meant a 36-hole total of 754 - altogether 34 over par, but good enough to squeeze them in to eighth position and a place among the elite of European golf.
Ulster Champion Alison Coffey from Warrenpoint spearheaded the recovery charge. She returned a two-under par 70.
Once again Suzanne O'Brien gave a solid performance and went round in 72 - level par - adding to her 74 of the previous day.
Irish champion Claire Coughlan, making her international debut, had 16 pars, a double bogey at the fifth and a bogey at the last in her 75. Ireland's 36 hole total was 754 some 38 strokes behind leaders France, whom they have the dubious pleasure of playing in the first matchplay round today.
