Ireland’s U16 Quadrangular team have returned home victorious after finishing top of the table in Scotland. The event was scheduled to continue into Friday (5th April) but due to poor weather conditions the decision was made to end the event on Thursday, meaning our unbeaten team were crowned the winners.
Ireland opened the event with a 2.5-2.5 tie against the Netherlands. As a result of the bad weather that was forecasted for Friday, the format of the event was rearranged during Day One as play was abandoned.
The new format included only singles matches on Day Two, where Ireland would play Scotland in the morning session and Wales in the afternoon. After a strong start against Scotland thanks to a quartet of wins in the opening four matches from Gemma McMeekin, Molly Campbell, Niamh O’Grady and Hannah Lee-McNamara, the hosts rallied back to win all but one of the Boys’ matches (Isaac Oliver winning 6&5) and secure a 5-5 draw.
In the afternoon match against Wales, there was almost a complete reverse of the morning’s action, as only Lee-McNamara could put a point on the board for the Girls’ squad. However the Boys’ delivered 4.5 points out of a possible 6, with wins for William Walshe, John Moran, Jack McKenna and Adam Fahey enough to secure a 5.5-4.5 comeback victory over the Welsh.
Despite the best efforts of everyone involved to continue the event into it’s third day, the foursomes scheduled for Friday were cancelled. This unfortunate abrupt end saw Ireland finish in first place, level on Match Points with Scotland (13) but ahead on Contest Points (2 vs 1.5).
Boys
Eoin Burrows (Belvoir Park)
Adam Fahey (Portmarnock)
Jack McKenna (Co. Louth)
John Moran (Portmarnock)
Isaac Oliver (Ballinasloe)
William Walshe (Delgany)
U16 Boys Coach – Ian Kearney
U16 Boys Captain – Liam Troy (Thurles)
Girls
Molly Campbell (Hollinwell)
Hannah Lee–McNamara (Royal Portrush)
Gemma McMeekin (Royal Portrush)
Niamh O’Grady (Royal Dublin)
U16 Girls Captain – Brenda Craig (Roganstown)
U16 Girls Coach – Michelle Carroll.
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