Sheena McElroy and co on top of Europe again
By Stephen Leonard
GRANGE Golf Club’s Sheena McElroy helped Ireland to the Senior European Women’s Team Championship title for the second time in three years.
One of the most experienced campaigners on the national squad, she combined with compatriots Gertie McMullen (The Island), Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna), Captain Pauline Walsh (Headfort), Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown), Laura Webb (East Berkshire) and Mary Sheehy (Tralee) to secure the coveted title after surmounting the challenge of Belgium 3-2 in a nailbiting final at Sierra Golf Club in Poland on Saturday.
Corcoran got them off to a bright start when she carded a 9&7 win over Marianne Trussart before the unbeaten top four-somes pairing of Wickham and McElroy followed that up with a 3&2 victory to haul Ireland to within one point of the prize.
But Belgium were not about to simply lie down and Webb lost to Laurette Vanderlinden before Irish Senior Close Champion Gertie McMullen was edged out by Sylvie Van Molle.
It meant prospects of another Irish title win rested firmly on the shoulders of rookie Sheehy whose match against Annick Riff went to three extra tie holes before she holed a 50-foot putt on the 21st for a dramatic win.
It was a thrilling finish to a campaign that saw Ireland qualify third behind France and England before beating Switzer-land 3.5 to 1.5 and then semi final opponents Sweden by a carbon copy scoreline, with McElroy and Wickham seeing off the partnership of Helene Maxe and Charlotte Rhedin.
Looking back on a superb campaign, McElroy told The Echo “We went there thinking that any one of ten teams could win that tournament depending on the day, so we wouldn’t have been in any way cocky.
“You have to remain very focused on what is happening, because if you don’t it’s ‘bye bye’. And that’s good because it keeps you really focused” said the Grange player who has been part of the Irish panel since 2006.
In all Ireland have accounted for two titles and three bronze medals at this event over the past four years- a record that McElroy is most proud of.
“We won this back in 2013 and the best thing about it this year was that it was nearly the same team, all except for our rookie Mary Sheehy who did so well.
“Back in 2010 we made it to a play-off for bronze, but didn’t win it because we lost to Switzerland and that really hurt.
“We had beaten France who were one of the best teams at the time but ended up coming home with nothing, so that one hurt.
“But that made us more determined and we took the bronze in 2012 before winning the overall tournament the following year.
“And now that we’ve won it again it would be cracking to go back and defend it next year” she exclaimed.
