Irish Golf Desk

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Senior Men march into Euro final; but Ladies fall to French in semis

Arthur Pierse at the top

Ireland Senior men are on track for their third European Senior Men's Team Championship in a row in Bulgaria but the Ladies suffered semi-final agony at The National Golf Resort in Lithuania.

rance stood in Ireland's way at both venues but they were no match for the men, who are looking for their fifth win in a decade following a comfortable 4.5-0.5 win at Pravets Golf Club in Bulgaria, the ladies had to accept a brave defeat.

European Senior Men's results | European Senior Ladies results

The Senior Men now face Italy, the team they left 24 strokes behind in strokeplay qualifying, in Saturday's final.

Tom Cleary and John Mitchell won the foursomes by just one hole over Pierre Kusel and Michel Rouault but there was no stopping the Irish in the singles with wins for Arthur Pierse, Adrian Morrow and Garth McGimpsey and a halved match for Maurice Kelly.

Italy beat Scotland 3-2 to reach the final but after finishing so far behind in strokeplay qualifying, it would be a major surprise if they can stop the men in green, even if it is matchplay.

In the European Senior Ladies' Team Championships in Lithuania, there was disappointment for the Irish as they fell 3.5-1.5 to France in their last four.

While Sheena McElroy and Mary MacLaren halved the foursomes, only Carol Wickham could win a point in the singles and France go on now to face England, who were 4-1 winners over Germany, in Saturday's final.

Ireland will play Germany for third spot.