Laura Grant (Lisburn) defeats Amy Farrell (Moate) by 3 and 2 to win the Lancome Irish Girls Close Championship at Grange Golf Club.

Amy Chambers (Dunfanaghy) defeats Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) to win the plate by 1 hole.

Friday 16 July
Championship (Blake Cup)
Final
Laura Grant (Lisburn) was 1up through 4 but Amy Farrell birdied the 5th to bring the match back to all square.  However Laura was on her game and by the turn she was two up and by the 13th she was 3up.  Amy birdied the 14th to reduce the margin but Laura remained focussed and went on to win the 16th to take the title.

Semi Finals
Amy Farrell started the brighter in her match against Emma O’Driscoll and was 4up through 12 holes.  O’Driscoll however was not going to give up her crown too easily and birdied the 15th to win 3 in a row.  Emma found herself 1 down playing the 18th but Amy held her nerve on the final hole and hit her second shot onto the green. Emma was short in two and failed to get up and down, she duly conceded the hole, the match and her title.
In the other semi final Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) was 3 up after 3 - with a par, par, birdie start.  However Laura Grant (Lisburn) found her form on the back 9, pulled back the deficit and was 1up playing the 18th. Sinead won the 18th to take the match to the first tie hole but had a unfortunate 3 putt to end her challenge. 

Plate (Pat Fletcher Trophy)
Final
Amy Chambers (Dunfanaghy) bt Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) 1up
In a nip and tuck match, Amy had a one hole advantage playing the 18th.  Jenny was forced to lay up on the 18th and Amy followed suit knowing that if she halved the hole she trophy would be hers.
Semi Finals
In the plate, Amy Chambers (Dunfanaghy) had the perfect start with par - birdie - par and never looked back defeating Rebecca Tully (Holywood) 4 and 3 to reach the final.  The other semi final encounter, Holly Robinson (Co. Sligo) had 3 pars to start and was 2 up.  Jenny didn't give up in a nip and tuck match which was all square playing the 18th.  Both players were safely on the home green in 3 and Holly just missed a long putt while Jenny with a shorter but nevertheless challenging putt on tricky greens, slotted hers home.

Thursday 15 July
Quarter Finals
Amy Farrell (Moate) continues to annihilate her opposition with another impressive 6 and 5 win which sees her safely into the semi final line-up where she now meets defending Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion). Emma meanwhile had a tough nip and tuck match against Leinster Girls Champion, Anna Courtney (St. Anne's).  The match was all square playing 18 but Emma secured a par to win the match with Anna unlucky to loose out after a magnificant approach shot from the right of the fairway, over trees onto the  final green. 
In the other semi final Laura Grant (Lisburn) defeated Kelsey Coey (Clandeboye) 3 and 2 takes on Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) who like Laura was impressive in the qualifying rounds and is making steady progress towards the final.
The first plate semi final sees an all Ulster encounter with last years quarter finalist Amy Chambers (Dunfanaghy) taking on Rebecca Tully (Holywood) while Holly Robinson (Co. Sligo) play Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) for a place in tomorrows afternoons final.

Second Round
Leading qualifier Amy Farrell of Moate defeats Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL) in this morning's second round of matchplay to earn a place in this afternoon's quarter-finals against Chloe Fitzpatrick (The Heath).  
In a repeat of last years final defending champion Emma O'Driscoll beat Paula Grant of Lisburn, while the newly crowned Leinster Girls' Champion Anna Courtney (St. Anne's) continues to impress and despite being 2 down through 14 birdied the 15th and 16th and went on to defeat Holywood's Jessica Carty on the 18th.
The Irish Girls International team (8 players) to play in the Home International Matches, Bangor Golf Club 4 - 6 August will be announced on Friday 16th July at the presentation of the Lancome Irish Girls Close Championship.

Wednesday 14 July
First Round Matchplay (PM)
Leading qualifier Amy Farrell (Moate) is safely through to the second round match play after defeating Roisin Brady (Mannan Castle).  Amy is sure to face a stiff challenge on Thursday morning from Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down Ladies) who defeated Julie Coyle (Youghal) in convincing fashion is her first round match. 
What looks like "Match of the Day" sees defending champion Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) take on Ulster Champion Paula Grant (Lisburn).

Second Round Strokeplay Qualifying (AM)
Amy Farrell (Moate) added a second round of 79 to her fine opening round of 75 to secure the top qualifying place in the matchplay stages of the Lancome Irish Girls Close Championship at the Grange Golf Club and now faces Mannan Castle's Roisin Brady in the first round of matchplay this afternoon.  Defending Champion Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) also made it safely through to the matchplay stages of the tournament and meets Jean O'Driscoll of Muskerry this afternoon.

Tuesday 13 July
First Round Stroke Play Qualifying
Amy Farrell (Moate) is top of the leaderboard after the first qualifying round of the Lancome Irish Girls Close Championship at the Grange Golf Club. Amy shot a 3 over par round of 75 which included birdies at the par 4 fifth hole and par 3 eighth and returned level par on the back nine.
Paula Grant (Lisburn) lies one shot adrift on 76 in a round that included two birdies and an eagle at the par 5 489 yard 17th. Defending champion Emma O'Driscoll lies in 10th place on 82.

Pre-Tournament Press Release
Irish Girls' International Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) will defend her Lancôme Irish Girls' Close title, won at Castletroy last year, when competitors tee off at Grange Golf Club, Dublin, 13-16 July 2010.
O'Driscoll will face stiff opposition from International team mates Patrice Delaney (Birr), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) and Paula Grant (Lisburn) to name but a few. Grant, last year's runner-up, may prove her strongest challenge as the 16 year old outshone a class field at Clandeboye to lift the title at the Ulster Women's Championship last week.
Another name to watch is Jessica Carty (Holywood) who won the Muwick Cup last year as the leading qualifier. Carty has already claimed the “Plate” trophy at the Lancôme Irish Women's Close at Portstewart earlier this year and has recently been selected once again to represent Ireland at the U16 European Young Master s in Hungary along with fellow competitor Chloe Ryan (Castletroy).
Noticeable absentees from this year's class field are Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) and Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) who are all resting after their heroic SILVER medal last weekend at the European Girls' Team Championships in Denmark.
An additional incentive for the field will be the announcement on Friday 16th July of the 8 player Irish Girls' International team who will compete in the Girls Home Internationals on home soil at Bangor, 4-6 August. The team will be captained by Ailish McCartan (Greenore) and managed by Aisling O'Leary (Wexford).
72 competitors play 18 holes strokeplay on Tuesday & Wednesday with the top 32 players qualifying for matchplay that afternoon ahead of the crowning of the Champion on Friday afternoon.

RESULTS CAN BE VIEWED THROUGH THE RIGHT NAVI BAR ...