Ireland's battling qualities to the fore to set up showdown with England in R&A Home Internationals
IN THE SWING: Emma Fleming at the Men's & Women's Home Internationals, Woodbrook Golf Club, Shankill. Picture: INPHO/Nick Elliott
Ireland Men’s Captain Damien Coyne says the players will need to find it within themselves as they go in search of the R&A Home Internationals crown on Friday.
The combined Women’s and Men’s title is on the line as Ireland do battle with England at Woodbrook, after the Irish finish tied, 10.5-10.5, with Scotland in a thriller on the east coast.
Seapoint golfer Dylan Keating came up with the all-important victory over Ross Laird to earn Ireland a share of the spoils, as the men fell to a 7-5 defeat after the women were victorious on a 5.5-3.5 scoreline.
That win for the Irish women means they go into Friday looking for back-to-back crowns while the men could help secure an overall championship.
“Dylan had a really good win in the singles yesterday and it’s great to see him come through there in the end. It’s a tough tee shot on the last when you are under pressure,” said Coyne.
“Fionn’s win early, very very good performance, and Gavin a really really strong performance along with a really strong performance in the singles yesterday too.
“It’s all to play for. England are a little bit similar to ourselves in that they have a few new faces here this week. It will be a good battle as always, they will be up for it, we will be up for it and we will see who wins.
“We are happy enough to go and support the overall team tomorrow. We need to do our bit.
“An awful lot of matches coming up 18, we will try and get as many of them to go our way tomorrow.”
The formidable duo of Katie Poots and Kate Dillon produced another brilliant win to get Ireland up and running in the morning foursomes. They claimed a comprehensive 3&2 result over Jennifer Saxton and Sheridan Clancy.
Emma Fleming and Anna Abom held firm for a gritty 1up win over Rosie Maguire and Abercrombie Nesbit, before Rebekah Gardner and Olivia Costello were held for a half point.
In behind, John Doyle and David Kitt had a comfortable 3&2 win against Andrew Davidson and Alexander Farmer. And Thomas Higgins and Gavin O’Neill had a 1up win against Oliver and Samuel Mukherjee.
Gerard Dunne and Keating came up short while Keith Egan and Fionn Dobbin suffered a narrow defeat in the last of the morning’s matches.
England continued their fine form with a 5.5-1.5 morning session, with their women winning all three of their matches. Sophia Fullbrook and Patience Rhodes accounted for a 5&4 win.
Tomi Bowen and Caolan Burford got Wales on the scoreboard with a 5&3 result but there were two further victories for England, the highlight coming in Jamie Van Wyk and Greg Holmes’ win, where the former had a hole-in-one as they secured a 3&1 win on 17.
Poots was a 4&2 winner in the first Irish singles match of the afternoon, while Gardner claimed a phenomenal 8&7 win and Fleming was also victorious. The Scots also had three victories and that heaped the pressure on.
The Scottish won five of the men’s singles, but crucially O’Neill won 4&3, with Dobbin securing a blistering 6&5 success. And Keating held his nerve down 18 to send Ireland into a final day decider with the English.
In the other match, the English women won the first four singles matches and secured six points from the men’s section to help themselves to a comfortable 16-5 win over Wales.
At the Girls and Boys Home Internationals at Monifeith in Scotland, Ireland retained the girls’ trophy while England secured the overall and boys’ titles. In Thursday's matches, Ireland Girls halved their match with England 4.5 - 4.5, while the Boys were defeated 8.5 - 3.5, giving England the overall crown by just 0.5 points.
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