Published: Wednesday, 14th January, 2009 12:00pm

Grant boost for Maguires

Prodigious Ballyconnell sisters Lisa and Leona Maguire have been included in the latest grant scheme announced by the Irish Ladies Golf Union.

The ILGU has allocated a fund of €74,800 to support Ireland"s leading top amateur golfers throughout the 2009 season and the Cavan girls will receive the maximum grant of €7,000 each.

The grant allocations, which are partly funded by the Irish Sports Council, are awarded to assist 'elite' female amateurs to defray part of the cost of coaching, equipment and travel to tournaments both within Ireland and overseas. The recipients were nominated based on final placings in the Women"s and Girls" Order of Merit tables in the 2008 season.

Leona Maguire is the current Irish Women"s Champion while sister Lisa is the Girls" Champion.

Specific amounts have been allocated to various International tournaments and players may claim expenses following their participation in those tournaments. Additionally, players receive a maximum allowance to compete in Irish tournaments.

At Westport they came face-to-face in the final of the Irish Ladies Close Championship when Leona became the youngest player ever to win the title. Lisa took home the Leitrim Cup as leading qualifier.

Lisa also took the Irish Girls Championship and won the European Junior Masters" with Leona filling second place. These successes automatically earned them places in Europe"s Junior Ryder Cup side.

Lisa went down by just one hole in an outstanding game to Alexis Thompson, the youngest player ever to qualify for the US Women"s Open.