Amateur golfLadies Golf UnionGirls Home Internationals, Women's Home InternationalsComment

Girl power — Ireland claim historic first Home Internationals title

Amateur golfLadies Golf UnionGirls Home Internationals, Women's Home InternationalsComment
Girl power — Ireland claim historic first Home Internationals title
The winning Irish Girls team with the 

The winning Irish Girls team with the 

Ireland won the Girls’ Home Internationals title for the first time, coming from behind to beat Scotland 5-4 in the championship decider at Conwy in North Wales.

The Scots had beaten Wales 7-2 and England 6-3 and when they established a 2-1 lead over Ireland in the final day foursomes, it looked as if Scotland would win the title for the first time since their back-to-back successes in 2006 and 2007.

But a talented Irish squad had other ideas and rose to the challenge to win four of the six singles and the title for the first time since the matches were first played in 1969

After Shannon McWilliam had won the top singles for Scotland, beating Mairead Martin 3 and 1 by winning five holes on the trot from the 13th, the Irish really got down to business.

Annabel Wilson beat Joanne Free 5 and 3 after being three holes up after six.

Then Irish U18s champion Julie McCarthy won by 4 and 2 against Louise Duncan, winning the seventh, eighth, 13th and 16th without reply.

Niamh McSherry put a fourth point on the board for Ireland by beating Jennifer Rankine 7 and 6 after getting to five up on the eighth tee.

Hazel MacGarvie gave Scotland a glimmer of hope of turning the Irish tide when she scored her sixth win in six matches - MVP of the girls' tournament - by beating Valerie Clancy 6 and 5 with a glory run of wins at the seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th and 13th.

That meant the overall score stood at 4-4 with everything hanging on the result of the match between Jillian Farrell, winner of five out of five for the Scots, and Lauren Walsh, playing in her first Girls' Home Internationals for Ireland.

Farrell lost the first two holes but twice got back to all square, winning the eighth and then the 12th after losing the sixth and the 10th.

All square on the 13th tee, Walsh struck a body blow to the Scot's hopes by going two up with wins at the 13th and 14th.

Farrell got one back by winning the 15th and, one down with three to play, Jillian needed "only" to get a square game for Scotland to win the title.

But Walsh closed out her opponent and clinched a 5-4 win for Ireland by taking the 16th and 17th for a 3 and 1 win she will remember the rest of her golfing days.

England, who had come into the tournament seeking a ninth title in a row, finished third by beating Wales 6.5-2.5

England won the Women's Home Internationals title today for the third time in a row and the fifth in the past six years. After drawing with Ireland and beating Scotland, they crushed Wales' championship hopes by taking the foursomes 3-0 and the singles 4-2 for a comprehensive 7-2 victory.

Ireland lost 5-4 to Scotland but still took third place with the Scots getting the wooden spoon.

Girls’ Home Internationals

Ireland 5, Scotland 4

Foursomes

  1. Annabel Wilson & Mairead Martin beat Shannon McWilliam & Joanne Free 1 hole
  2. Niamh McSherry & Valerie Clancy lost to Jennifer Rankine & Jasmine MacKintosh 6&5
  3. Julie McCarthy & Rachel Thompson lost to Hazel MacGarvie & Jillian Farrell 1 hole

Ireland 1, Scotland 2

Singles

  1. Mairead Martin lost to Shannon McWilliam 3&1
  2. Annabel Wilson beat Joanne Free 5&3
  3. Julie McCarthy beat Louise Duncan 4&2
  4. Niamh McSherry beat Jennifer Rankine 7&6
  5. Lauren Walsh beat Jillian Farrell 3&1
  6. Valerie Clancy lost to Hazel MacGarvie 6&5

Ireland 4, Scotland 2

Overall standings

Points Won Halved Lost

  1. Ireland 2 ½ 15 3 9
  2. Scotland 2 16 2 9
  3. England 1 ½ 11 6 10
  4. Wales 0 6 1 20

Women’s Home Internationals

Ireland 4, Scotland 5

Foursomes

  1. Maria Dunne & Sinead Sexton lost to Jessica Meek & Heather Munro 3&2
  2. Olivia Mehaffey & Louise Coffey beat Hanna McCook & Eilidh Briggs 2 holes
  3. Jessica Ross & Paula Grant lost to Clara Young & Connie Jaffrey 1 hole

Ireland 1, Scotland 2

Singles

  1. Louise Coffey halved with Hannah McCook
  2. Jessica Carty lost to Connie Jaffrey 3&2
  3. Olivia Mehaffey beat Clara Young 2 holes
  4. Jessica Ross lost to Jessica Meek 5&4
  5. Maria Dunne halved with Eilidh Briggs
  6. Sinead Sexton beat Heather Munro 2&1

Ireland 3, Scotland 3

Overall

Points Won Halved Lost

  1. England 2 ½ 17 1 9
  2. Wales 1 ½ 12 2 13
  3. Ireland 1 11 4 12
  4. Scotland 1 9 3 15