Ireland made it two wins from two at the Women’s Home Internationals on Thursday, completing a comfortable 6-3 victory over Wales at Woodhall Spa Golf Club.
Full of confidence following a day one triumph over Scotland, Ireland were 2-1 up after the morning foursomes’ matches where Lahinch’s Aine Donegan teamed with Elm Park’s Anna Foster to great effect (6&5) in match one before Castlewarden’s Lauren Walsh and Douglas’ Aine Byrne enjoyed a 3&2 victory in match three.
With the outcome still balanced entering the six afternoon singles matches, Foster collected her second point of the day with a narrow 1UP win over Wales’ Ellen Nicholas before Forrest Little’s Julie McCarthy scored an impressive 5&4 win to make it 4-1 to the women in green.
Walsh was edged out on 18 in the third singles match before Lurgan’s Annabel Wilson came out on the right site of a similarly close encounter, IUP in match four to guarantee Ireland’s victory. Donegan put the icing on the cake of a three-point win on day two with a resounding 6&5 success over Kath O’Connor.
In the other match on Thursday, England maintained their unbeaten run also with a smooth-sailing 7.5-1.5 victory over Scotland, setting up a mouth-watering finale to decide the fate of this year’s Women’s Home Internationals where one side’s ‘0’ has got to go.
Honours even for Seniors versus Scotland
Ireland’s Senior side bounced back from a first day defeat to England with a hard-fought 6-6 draw on day two of this historic edition of the Home Internationals.
With the senior men and women playing in the same teams for the first time in the traditional round-robin, match play format, Ireland came back from trailing 2.5-1.5 from the morning session with a rousing singles display where Portumna’s Suzanne Corcoran (2&1), Banbridge’s Jim Carvill (4&3), Shandon Park’s Philip Purdy (3&2) and Douglas’ Karl Bornemann (5&4) all scored wins.
With the result on a knife edge, Castlemartyr’s John O’Brien pulled out a half against Paul Moultrie with Ireland set to face-off against a pointless Wales in Friday’s finale after the Welsh were soundly beaten 8-4 by England.
Boys & Girls beaten in close battle with Scotland
Ireland’s Girls and Boys were looking to bounce back from a tough 19.5-1.5 loss to neighbours England on day two of the Homes.
The team in green enjoyed a great morning session, 4-3 to the good with wins arriving for the teams of Tramore’s Anna Dawson and Ballykisteen’s Caitlin Shippam (3&2), Belvoir Park’s Darcy Hogg and Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill (2&1), and Faithlegg’s Alex King and Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins who snuck a 1-Hole win.
Dawson, King, Knock’s Katie Poots and Galway Bay’s Adam Challoner all enjoyed singles victories in the afternoon but Scotland’s individuals would reign supreme, completing a 12.5-8.5 success.
Ireland are due to face Wales on the final day however a male player competing as part of the mixed Wales girls’ and boys’ team has tested positive for Covid-19. He is now required to self-isolate under current UK government guidelines and the individual team members and officials who have been identified as close contacts are also required to follow current UK government guidelines which has resulted in all boys in the Wales team being withdrawn from the event.
The girls are not considered to be close contacts with the team having operated two separate buddy groups and will continue in the scheduled matches. The affected Boy’s matches will be awarded to Ireland as a walkover.
Full R&A Statement here: The R&A – Statement on R&A Junior Home Internationals (randa.org)
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