Ireland are the 2023 Boys’ Home Internationals winners after a 7-5 triumph over England on the final day of the Girls’ & Boys’ Home Internationals at Lindrick Golf Club.
The Boys’ Team made it three from three in the competition by winning five of the afternoon’s eight singles matches against the English.
Tied at 2-2 after the morning’s foursomes, it was Sean Keeling who led out Ireland and the Roganstown golfer claimed a 2&1 victory, which was supplemented by impressive wins for Douglas duo Jack Murphy (6&5) and James Walsh (3&2), as well as County Louth’s Gavin Tiernan (5&4). Ireland’s final point was secured in the last match of the day by Tipperary’s Donnacha Cleary to seal a memorable 7-5 win.
Unfortuantely, it wasn’t to be for Ireland in the overall standings, as our Girls’ team were defeated 8-1 by England, meaning the hosts finished top in both of the remaining categories, with Ireland runners-up overall and third in the Girls’.
Meanwhile, in Machynys Golf Club in Wales, it was another good day for our Women’s & Men’s Team who beat Scotland 12.5-8.5 to make it back-to-back wins after yesterday’s success against the Welsh. The Men held a slender lead as the afternoon’s singles got underway, before replicating their younger compatriots by winning five of the eight matches and in doing so claim a 7.5-4.5 win on the day.
As for the Women, a disappointing morning session saw them trailing the Scots 3-0 and so a response was needed. Two-time AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Champion and Douglas starlet Sara Byrne led the team out and secured a massive point, by impressively defeating two-time Flogas Irish Women’s Amateur Open Champion Lorna McClymont 5&3, in what was a stellar opening tie of the afternoon. Buyoed by this, Ireland went on to win five of the remaining six matches, with Hermitage’s Kate Lanigan earning a point in the last match of the day to close out a 5-4 win for the Women’s Team.
These results mean Ireland are leading both overall and in the Men’s category, whilst the Women are currently second to England, who they will face in tomorrow’s third and final matchup, with everything to play for.
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