Team manager Andre Austin has named his team for the clash with Jersey at Grouville and although regulars Chloe Gaudion, Sally Ingrouille and Kay Mapley were unavailable for selection, he emphasised that he was pleased to be able to call upon players with a never-say-die attitude.
‘Clearly we are underdogs, we know that, and we have some key names unavailable, unfortunately, but I love the mentality of this group,’ Austin said.
‘I feel the mentality is as strong as it was last year. I love that and the work ethic around the group. They are incredibly well-prepared and are very much up it.
‘We have got people like Mandy [Webber] and Michaela [Stacey-Goldberg] returning to inter-insular action and they are real competitors, the type who bleed green and you would have to drag them off the course. They are very good players, too.
‘We are balancing that with the experience that the likes of Vron [Bougourd] brings, as well as the two Dis [Aitchison and Stenner] and Mary Bate.’
Also returning to the team is Bonny Hamilton – ‘she has played some great golf this year – she had her best ever round and she has got on the honours board [at L’Ancresse GC],’ said the manager – while the youth element is provided by Jennie Ballay and Lily McNeela, who both impressed last year.
‘Jennie has got a fantastic temperament and I think she is an elite ball-striker, which is perhaps not reflected in her handicap because has had other commitments this season,’ Austin said.
‘She can play with anyone. She came in two years ago as a last-minute replacement and then last year she took out the Jersey champion.
‘Lily has come back from injury, she has got back into the groove again and she is incredibly talented. She has got that first [appearance] ticked off so she knows she can play at this level.’
The new face in the 10 is debutant Clare Tee, who the manager described as having similar characteristics to others in the team.
‘Clare Tee is a ferociously hard worker and she has a good temperament as well – she has that fighting mentality, which I love.
‘She has made great strides this year and deserves her shot. She is not going to be overawed by the occasion.’
Jersey go into the Women’s Inter-Insular as the holders, having won 13-7 at L’Ancresse a year ago. The match is on 13-14 September.
Teams
Guernsey: Di Aitchison, Jennie Ballay, Mary Bate, Veronica Bougourd, Bonny Hamilton, Lily McNeela, Michaela Stacey-Goldberg, Di Stenner, Clare Tee, Mandy Webber. Reserve: Tilly Hamilton. Manager: Andre Austin. Assistant: Julie Creed.
Jersey: Lily Buckley, Helen Gray, Abi Harris, Louise Kirton, Brona Lambert, Sarah Le Boutillier, Anabelle Lucas-Villar, Melissa McMahon, Ann-Marie Pereira, Hannah Scriven. Reserve: Gloria Paradiso. Captain: Nicola Mollin. Vice-captain: Juanita Adlington.
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