More misery but brave Irish go down fighting

Ireland slipped to a second consecutive defeat in the Women’s Home Internationals at Cork Golf Club yesterday, going down 6-3 to Wales.

A day after their 9-0 mauling by defending champions England, Ireland showed their battling spirit in the morning foursomes as Deirdre Smith and Chloe Ryan recorded a 2&1 victory over Welsh pair Katherine O’Connor and Samantha Birks, although the session left the Irish trailing Wales 2-1.

In their opening match on Tuesday, Wales had trailed Scotland after the foursomes before a strong afternoon session had seen off the Scots in the singles by taking 4½ out of the six available points for a 6-3 victory.