Battling Irish boys celebrate famous victory

Ireland were celebrating last night after clinching the Boys’ Home Internationals title &for the first time since 2010 after a gripping final day at Forest Pines in North Lincolnshire.

After a tie with Scotland and a shock win over defending champions England, they knew they had to defeat Wales and then hope the other result would favour them.

After quite a battle Ireland were victorious over Wales 9½-5½, but it took another two hours before they could collect the trophy.

Ireland led 3-2 following the foursomes and wrapped things up with wins in four of the top seven singles and halves in the other three.

Irish junior champion Robin Dawson and James Sugrue halved their games with Tim Harry and Otto Mand respectively after winning holes late on.

The battle-hardened Paul McBride also got half a point but when Jack Walsh, Sean Flanagan, David Carey and Ronan Mullarney all won their matches the Irish were home and dry.

But they then had a nail-biting time waiting for Scotland to finish against England.

If Scotland had beaten England they would have taken the title by virtue of a greater number of individual points won.

- In the Girls’ Home Internationals, Ireland were held to a 4½-4½ tie by Wales on the second day of competition.

Ariana Coyle Diez saved the Irish girls’ blushes by winning her singles on the last hole against Emma Miller.

England beat Scotland 5½-3½.

- Garth McGimpsey has a great chance today to add to his tally of title hauls by winning the British Seniors Championship at Royal Aberdeen.

McGimpsey goes into the third and final round sharing the lead with American Patrick Talent on one over par. Tom Cleary, of Cork, and Arthur Pierce, Tipperary, lie joint fourth on six over.

Boys’ results

Ireland v Wales (Ireland names first)

Foursomes: R Dawson and J Sugrue beat J Davies and C Spencer-White two holes; P McBride and J Walsh beat K Harman and T Harry 2&1; S Flanagan and R Mullarney lost to J Davidson and O Mand 6&4; A Myles and R Lester beat D King and A Matthews 4&3; J Hood and G Lappin lost to T Williams and R Jones one hole.

Foursomes result: Ireland 3 Wales 2.

Singles: Dawson halved with Harry; Sugrue halved with Mand; McBride halved with Davidson; Walsh beat Davies one hole; Flanagan beat Harman 3&2; D Carey beat Spencer-White 2&1; Mullarney beat T Davies 4&3; Myles lost to King 4&3; Lappin beat Jones 4&3; Hood lost to Williams 4&3.

Singles result: Ireland 6½ Wales 3½

Match result: Ireland 9½ Wales 5½.

Other match result: England 8½ Scotland 6½

Final placings: 1 Ireland 2 England 3 Scotland 4 Wales.