Ireland boys get poor start

Ireland’s hopes of regaining the R&A Trophy in the Boys Home International Championship at Co Louth were dealt an opening day blow when they suffered a 9½-5½ defeat to defending champions England.

They lost four of the five foursomes and with three of the top five singles going against them they were effectively out of the reckoning.

Alex Gleeson and William Russell secured Ireland’s only foursomes point when they edged to a last green success against Dan Brown and Joe Dean.