Dubliner Pamela Murphy (The Island) won the Lancome-sponsored Irish Girls' Close Championship for the third time when she defeated Claire Coughlan (Cork) in the final at Galway GC yesterday. Seventeen-year-old Murphy had previously taken the title in 1995, when she was the youngest ever winner at 14, and again a year later.
Yesterday, she was three up on her Cork opponent after seven, two up at the turn and four up after 13. Pamela, who was crowned Munster, Leinster and Connacht champion last year, had been one up after nine in her semi-final succes over Marion Riordan (Tipperary).
Irish Girls Close Championship - Semi-finals: P Murphy (The Island) bt M Riordan (Tipperary) 3/2; C Coughlan (Cork) bt A Burke (Charleville) 3/2; final: Murphy bt Coughlan 5/4.
The Irish team for the girls' home internationals at Mullingar from August 11th-13th is: A Burke (Charleville), C Coughlan (Cork) F Donnelly (Forest LIttle) S Galvin (Limerick) M Gilhawley (Enniscrone) M Gillen (Beaverstown) D Judge (Roscommon) P Murphy (The Island); reserves: M Riordan (Tipperary) E Butler (Donabate) U Marsden (Tullamore); non-playing captain: E Bradshaw (Kilkenny); manager; C Smith (Mullingar).
