28/08/2018

Ireland v. Catalonia

Ireland regain International Challenge Cup

The series of International Challenge matches between Ireland and Catalonia continued in August 2018 when Seapoint Pitch and Putt club, Co. Louth, Ireland hosted the VII International Challenge. Teams comprising ladies and juveniles (under 16) representing Ireland and Catalonia contested the match. Detailed updates.

Photo album

Catalonia led 4-2 (winning the three ladies matches) after the morning foursomes but a sensational fight back by Ireland saw the home side win eleven of the afternoon singles to regain the International Challenge Cup by 13 matches to 5.

Foursomes (Juveniles)
Dylan Hudson & Glenn Towler (Ireland) beat Erik Jurri & Pau Andres (Catalonia) 3&1
Alex Albinana & Ivan Ponsdemenech (Catalonia) beat Cillian Courtney & Patrick Mitchell (Ireland) 2&1
Evan Carry & Luke Murphy (Ireland) beat Dario Silva & Joan Panisello (Catalonia) 3&1
Ireland 2 Catalonia 1
Foursomes (Ladies)
Pilar Montero & Marta Trillo (Catalonia) beat Margaret Hogan & Mary Murray (Ireland) 2&1
Marta Farres & Gloria Ruiz (Catalonia) beat Ger Ward & Noelene Bedford (Ireland) 4&3
Abby Nachshon & Maria Cucurull (Catalonia) beat Chrissie Byrne & Martha O'Brien (Ireland) 1up
Catalonia 3 Ireland 0
Foursomes: Catalonia 4 Ireland 2
Juvenile Singles
Evan Carry (Ireland) beat Alex Albinana (Catalonia) 1 hole
Dylan Hudson (Ireland) beat Ivan Pomenensech (Catalonia) 4&3
Patrick Mitchell (Ireland) beat Erik Jurri (Catalonia) 2&1
Luke Murphy (Ireland) beat Pau Andres (Catalonia) 5&4
Glenn Towler (Ireland) beat Joan Panisello (Catalonia) 4&3
Cillian Courtney (Ireland) beat Dario Silva (Catalonia) 1 hole
Ireland 6 Catalonia 0.
Ladies Singles
Geraldine Ward (Ireland) beat Pilar Montero (Catalonia) 6&5
Chrissie Byrne (Ireland) beat Abby Nachshon (Catalonia) 4&3
Martha O'Brien (Ireland) beat Marta Cucurull (Catalonia) 2&1
Margaret Hogan (Ireland) beat Gloria Ruiz (Catalonia) 5&4
Mary Murray (Ireland) beat Marta Trillo (Catalonia) 5&4
Noelene Bedford (Ireland) lost to Marta Farres (Catalonia) 3&2
Ireland 5 Catalonia 1
Overall Ireland 13 Catalonia 5

The Catalonia ladies team was: Pilar Montero, Abby Nachshon, Marta Farrés, Marta Trillo, Marta Cucurull and Gloria Ruiz.

The Catalonia Under 16 team was: Àlex Albinyana, Dario Silva, Ivan Ponsdomènech, Erik Jurri, Pau Andrés and Joan Panisello.

The Irish ladies team was: 22 time Irish individual champion Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock), eight-time national champion Chrissie Byrne (Ryston), Margaret Hogan (Tullamore), who boasts nine individual Irish titles along with an Over 55 crown, 2017 Irish Over 55s Strokeplay nett winner Noeleen Bedford (Seapoint), 2008 Irish Girls champion Martha O’Brien (Lakeside) and Mary Murray (Rocklodge), the British Open winner 2016, Irish intermediate strokeplay champion 2016, Irish Over 55s intermediate champion 2016 and senior champion 2018.

The Irish Under 16 team was: three-time Irish Strokeplay champion and 2018 Irish Matchplay victor Evan Carry, (Castletown), who will captain the side, 2016 Munster and Irish Matchplay champion Glenn Towler (St. Anne's), Dylan Hudson (St. Patrick's) - the 2018 Leinster Matchplay champion, Cillian Courtney (Deerpark), who won the 2017 Munster Matchplay championship, Luke Murphy (Seapoint), who was third in the 2018 Leinster Strokeplay and 2018 Munster Strokeplay champion Patrick Mitchell (Parteen).

Full pen pictures can be accessed here

Catalonia first played Ireland at Solius, Catalonia in October 1997 and the matches have been held periodically since then (in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2011 and 2014).

Complete results of encounters between Ireland and Catalonia (including World Cup and European championship meetings) can be found here.

Attachments:

• Player Pen Pictures (445 Kb, pdf file)