Ireland’s hopes of winning the Senior Home Internationals for the first time since 2015 suffered a reverse with defeat to hosts England on the opening day at Alnmouth in Northumberland.

The men in green suffered a disappointing 6-3 defeat and now face defending champions Scotland, who beat Wales 5.5-3.5.

While Ireland shared the foursomes 1.5-1.5 with a 2&1 win for Steven Graham and Karl Bornemann over Rich Jones and Paul Wharton and a halved match for John O’Brien and Pat Lyons against Rupert Kellock and Tim Whittaker, they lost four of the six singles.

The bright spots were provided by Graham and Bornemann, who won their foursomes and then picked up 1.5 from the singles.

Senior Home Internationals, Alnmouth GC, England

Live scoring

England 6, Ireland 3 (England names first)

Foursomes

1. I Attoe & A Mew bt J Mitchell & B O'leary 4&2;

2. R Kellock & T Whittaker halved with J O'Brien & P Lyons;

3. R Jones & P Wharton lost to S Graham & K Bornemann 2&1.

Singles

1. Attoe bt Mitchell 1h;

2. R Norton bt Lyons 1h;

3. Kellock bt O'Brien 3&2;

4. Whittaker lost to Graham 6&4;

5. Jones bt L Halpin 3&1;

6. Wharton halved with Bornemann.

Scotland 5.5, Wales 3.5 (Scotland names first)

Foursomes:

1. I Brotherston & R Smith lost to C Jones & N Evans 2H;

2. R Clark & D Paton bt N Grimmitt & P Sutton 5&4;

3. G Bell & R Johnston bt A Williams & M Hayward 2&1.

Singles:

1. Bell bt C Jones 5&3;

2. Clark halved with Grimmitt;

3. P Moultrie halved with Evans;

4. Paton lost to R Jones 1H;

5. Johnston bt Sutton 2&1;

6. Brotherston halved with Hayward.

Today: Scotland v Ireland; England v Wales.