Irish Boys shock England as men and women fall in Europe
Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass). Picture: Pat Cashman
Ireland fell 4-3 to World Amateur Team titleholders Denmark in the quarter-finals of the European Amateur Team Championship in Sweden as the women battled hard but lost 4-3 to leading qualifiers Italy in Sardinia.
But as the Girls team beat Norway 5-0 in the race for ninth place in Spain, the Irish Boys shocked a star-studded England 4-3 at Chantilly in France.
Baltinglass' Joseph Byrne claimed the anchor singles on the 19th to set up a semi-final showdown with Germany and the chance to battle for a first European Boys title since 1998.
European Amateur Team Championship - Flight A, Ljunghusen GC, Sweden
Quarter-finals: Ireland 3, Denmark 4 (Foursomes, C Rafferty & C Purcell lost to A Axelsen & A Sorensen 5&4; J Sugrue & R Mullarney lost to R Petersen-Neergaard & A Frances 5&4. Singles, Purcell bt Petersen-Neergaard 5&3, M Power bt Axelsen 4&3, Rafferty lost to Sorensen 1h, T McLarnon lost to Frances 1 h, Sugrue bt A Host 3&2); Sweden 5.5, Germany 1.5; Scotland 4.5, Spain 2.5; England 4, Wales 3. Semi-finals, Den v Swe, Sco v Eng. 5th-6th, Ire v Ger, Esp v Wal.
European Ladies' Team Championship - Flight A, Is Molas Golf Club, Italy
Quarter-finals: Italy 4, Ireland 3 (Foursomes, A Nobilio & A Fanali bt A Wilson & J Ross 3&2, A Zanusso & L Bagnoli lost to L Walsh & P Grant 4&3. Singles, A Moresco lost to Wilson 4&3, C Manzalini lost to Ross 2&1, Nobilio bt Grant 2&1, Fanali bt S Burke 4&2, Zanusso bt Walsh 3&1); Scotland 3, Spain 4; Germany 4.5, Denmark 2.5; Sweden 5.5, England 1.5. Semi-finals, Ita v Esp, Ger v Swe. 5th-6th, Ire v Sco; Den v Eng.
European Boys' Team Championship - Flight A, Golf de Chantilly, France
Quarter-finals: Spain 1.5, France 5.5; Sweden 5, Switzerland 2; England 3, Ireland 4 (Foursomes, J Padgin & M Hopkins bt M Kennedy & T McKibbin 5&3, C Gough & B Schmidt lost to A Marshall & J McCabe 4&3. Singles, R Williams lost to McKibbin 4&3, C Gough lost to McCabe 5&4, Padgin bt Marshall 4&3, Schmidt bt Kennedy 1h, Hopkins lost to J Byrne 19th); Germany 4, Italy 3. Semi-finals, Esp v Swe; Ire v Ger.
European Girls' Team Championship - Flight B, Parador de El Saler; Spain
Quarter-finals: Wales 3.5, Belgium 1.5; Ireland 5, Norway 0 (Foursomes, K Lanigan & N Joyce-Moreno bt K Klubben & L Hope 1h. Singles, S Byrne bt M Riis Lied 4&3, A Foster bt M Sandtorv Lussand 2&1, B Coulter bt S Torvund Ohma 5&4, A Donegan bt C Brovold Sanne 3&2); Switzerland 4.5, Austria 0.5. Semi-finals, Fra v Wal, Ire v Sui.
