East Cork Ladies have added another major title to their roll of honour, they won the All Ireland final of the AIG Challenge Cup in Knightsbrook yesterday.  Led from the front by 17 year old Orla Evans, East Cork came through the quarter final and semi final in dominant form, beating Moyola Park and Rathcore by bringing in the first three points in each match.  And that continued in the final where they faced Tulfarris.  At one stage early on they led in all five matches, and from there they built up a strong platform.  They match didn’t go on too long, Orla Evans put the first point on the board when she wrapped up her match on the 13^th with a 7&5 win.  Nora Kelleher added a second point for East Cork with a 6&4 win and the third point came from Caroline Goldspring when she won on the 16^th.  East Cork were in a strong position in the back matches too, Aileen O’Sullivan was four up through 11 holes and Linda Cuddigan was three up playing the 11^th when they were called in.

‘We’ve won three All-Ireland titles in seven years but this was the first since our Proprietor passed away,’ said Anne O’Connell. ‘I think he settled up there and looked after us this week.’

AIG Challenge Cup Final
East Cork (4) Tulfarris (1) (East Cork names first) O Evans beat R Edwards 7&5; C Goldspring beat A Finnegan 3&2; N Kelleher beat C O’Mahony 6&4; A O’Sullivan halved with M Solan (called-in); L Cuddigan halved with I Masterson (called-in)

AIG Challenge Cup Semi Final
Rathcore (1) East Cork (4) (Rathcore names first) K Dermody lost to O Evans 4&3; N Sheridan beat with C Goldspring 6&5; C Kennedy halved with N Kelleher (called-in); A Maher lost to A O’Sullivan 9&7; L Rooney lost to L Cuddigan 8&7

AIG Challenge Cup Quarter Final
Moyola Park (1) East Cork (4) (Moyola Park names first) S Coyle lost to O Evans 6&5; U Hegarty halved with C Goldspring (called-in); M McGuigan lost to N Kelleher 6&5; M Diamond lost to A O’Sullivan 8&6; A Cassidy halved with L Cuddigan (called-in)