Women's Home Internationals: Ireland staged the most remarkable of recoveries to stun England at Cruden Bay yesterday and clinch the Women's Home International title for the first time in 17 years.
Their hopes looked doomed at lunchtime after they had lost all three foursomes - very few countries come back following a session whitewash in this format.
But the Irish defied the odds and took four of the five singles for a 5-4 success and the crown. Scotland finished second with England third and Wales the wooden spoonists.
Appropriately it was the star of the week, Cork's Irish strokeplay champion, Claire Coughlan, who grabbed the point that settled the issue and took her tally for the series to five wins out of a possible six.
"It is absolutely fantastic. Words just can't describe my feeling right now. This is the best I have ever felt team-wise. I did not know the position coming to the last," said 24-year-old Coughlan.
She collected five birdies in beating Curtis Cup player Kerry Smith by two holes in a game in which she was never behind.
Just in front of her, Shannon's Heather Nolan had picked up a vital point with a last-green victory over Danielle Masters, the heroine of Britain and Ireland's Vagliano Trophy success over the Continent of Europe at Co Louth in July.
Nolan was three down with six to play but won three in a row - all with birdies - to square and then edged home with a solid par at the last. Maura Morrin was also a last-green winner, against Curtis cup star Fame More, who missed a three-footer on the 18th to go down by one hole.
Young Tara Delaney and Sinead Keane both won their matches with the only loser being Tricia Mangan, whose 2 and 1 defeat by English champion Emma Duggleby was far from a disgrace.
Ironically this is only the third time Ireland have won the crown and their first success was at Cruden Bay 23 years ago, when current captain Mary McKenna was in the team.
Ireland 5 England 4 (Ireland players first) Foursomes: C Coughlan, H Jones lost to F More, A Keighley 2 holes; M Morrin, T Delaney lost to K Smith, N Timmins 3 and 2; T Mangan, S Keane lost to E Duggleby, D Masters 1 hole. Foursomes result: Ireland 0 England 3. Singles: Mangan lost to Duggleby 2 and 1, Morrin bt More 1 hole, Delaney bt Keighley 1 hole, Keane bt S Walker 5 and 4, H Nolan bt Masters 1 hole, Coughlan bt Smith 2 holes. Singles result: Ireland 5 England 1.
Scotland 5½ Wales 3½ (Scotland players first) Foursomes: A Laing, H MacRae lost to B Brewerton, S Jones 4 and 3; C Queen, P Feggans lost to S Evans, N Evans 5 and 3; L Kenny, L Mackay bt K Phillips, A Highgate 5 and 4. Foursomes result: Scotland 1 Wales 2. Singles: Queen bt Brewerton 6 and 4, Feggans bt Phillips 2 and 1, MacRae bt S Evans 7 and 6, Laing halved with N Evans, Kenny lost to Jones 2 and 1, Mackay beat Highgate 5 and 4. Singles result: Scotland 4½ Wales 1½.
Final points totals: 1. Ireland 2½ pts (two wins, one draw); 2 Scotland 2 (one win, two draws); 3 England 1 (two draws, one defeat); 4 Wales ½ (one draw, two defeats).
