Ireland beat Wales 7.5 to 1.5 on the first day of the Senior Home Internationals. Picture © Royal County Down GC.A storming performance in the singles gave European champions Ireland the perfect start at the Seniors Home Internationals at Royal Co Down, writes the GUI.

Ireland swept all six matches against Wales, while England and Scotland battled to a draw in a match that swung one way and another throughout the afternoon.

The morning’s play in the foursomes was halted after just over an hour.

With a long delay setting in, the team captains met with the Championship Committee and expressed a preference for declaring the foursomes halved with a good outlook for the singles matches.

One belt of sea mist in the afternoon called a temporary halt to the proceedings yet again just before the halfway point of the singles, but after the resumption, Ireland continued their early good play, with Garth McGimpsey leading from the front and beating Keith Stimpson on the 15th.

From then on in, Ireland look assured and ran out cosy winners by 7.5-1.5, the margin of victory assured by final green wins for Arthur Pierse against Glyn Rees and for Adrian Morrow against Jeff Thomas.

Meanwhile, Scotland had taken the initiative early and looked strong in the first three matches.

But although Alan O’Neill beat John Ambridge (2/1) and Ian Brotherston beat Charles Banks (4/3), David Gardner lost the last hole and had to settle for a half against Richard Leatham.

England began their fightback there, and continued that run with a victory for Tyrone Carter on the 15th against Lindsay Gordon.

Andrew Stracey then turned his match around, winning at the final green against Scotland captain John Fraser, leaving the match to be decided between England’s Chris Reynolds and Scotland’s Lindsay Blair, which ended all square thanks to a brilliant up and down from Reynolds.

Seniors Home Internationals, Royal Co Down Golf Club

Tuesday 24 September 2013

England 4.5 Scotland 4.5 (England names first)

Foursomes

Richard Latham & Andrew Stracey halved with Iain Brotherston & Lindsay Blair

John Ambridge & Richard Partridge halved with David Gardner & Lindsay Gordon

Tyrone Carter & Chris Reynolds halved with Tony Paterson & John Fraser

Singles

Richard Latham halved with David Gardner

John Ambridge lost to Alan O’Neill 2/1

Charles Banks lost to  Ian Brotherston 4/3

Andrew Stracey beat John Fraser 1 hole

Tyrone Carter beat  Lindsay Gordon 4/3

Chris Reynolds halved with Lindsay Blair

 

Ireland 7.5 Wales 1.5 (Ireland names first)

Foursomes

Arthur Pierse & John Mitchell halved with Nigel Evans & Glyn Rees

Tom Cleary & Michael Quirke halved with Andrew Williams & Paul Bloomfield

Adrian Morrow & Maurice Kelly halved with Basil Griffiths & Jeff Thomas

Singles

Garth McGimpsey beat Keith Stimpson 5/3

Arthur Pierse  beat  Glyn Rees 1 hole

Tom Cleary  beat Andrew Williams 3/2

Michael Quirke beat Paul Bloomfield 5/4

John Mitchell beat  Jeff Thomas 5/3

Adrian Morrow beat Basil Griffiths 2 holes

 

Draw for Wednesday 25 September 2013

England v Wales (England names first)

Foursomes (0800hrs off the first)

Richard Latham & Andrew Stracey    v Nigel Evans & Glyn Rees

John Ambridge & Richard Partridge v Paul Bloomfield & Andrew Williams

Tyrone Carter & Chris Reynolds v Jeff Thomas & Keith Stimpson

Singles (1300hrs off the first)

Richard Latham v Glyn Rees

Richard Partridge v Jeff Thomas

Andrew Stracey v Nigel Evans

John Ambridge v Andrew Williams

Tyrone Carter v Keith Stimpson

Charles Banks v Basil Griffiths

 

Ireland v Scotland (Ireland names first)

Foursomes (0800hrs off the tenth)

Arthur Pierse & John Mitchell v Ian Brotherston & Lindsay Blair

Tom Cleary & Michael Quirke v John Fraser & Alan O’Neill

Adrian Morrow & Maurice Kelly v Tony Paterson & Lindsay Gordon

Singles (1300grs off the tenth)

Garth McGimpsey v Ian Brotherston

Arthur Pierse v Lindsay Blair

Maurice Kelly v Alan O’Neill

Tom Cleary  v John Fraser

John Mitchell v David Gardner

Adrian Morrow v Tony Paterson