GOLF Boys' Home Internationals: Scotland's strengths throughout the team proved vital as they dug deep to share the spoils 7½-7½ with Ireland on the opening day of the Boys' Home Internationals yesterday, while champions England were impressive in seeing off a late Wales rally 9½-5½.
After winning the morning foursomes 3-2, and taking three of the first four singles matches in the afternoon, Ireland looked to have the measure of the Scots as they went through the turn up in seven of the 10 matches.
However, all was to change in a nail-biting back nine as the Scots gradually worked their way back into the match.
And leading the way for Scotland was Paul O'Hara, who took on the South of Ireland champion Cian McNamara from Limerick and won on the 18th, where McNamara took a bogey five.
Aaron O'Callaghan, with a 3 and 2 win over Scott Henry, Rory McIlroy, a 4 and 3 winner over David Addison, and Nicky Grant, who won on the 16th against Steven McEwan, had put Ireland in a strong position.
However, when Jordan Findlay chalked up another Scottish point with a 3 and 2 win over Niall Kearney after turning two up, and Graham Turner also called on all his reserves to beat Karl Gilbert two up, the match was definitely going Scotland's way.
Wins for Euan Polson and Garry Wood against David Daly and Séamus Power had the overall score level with just two matches remaining.
Chris Hughes edged Ireland ahead with a one-hole win over Ross Kellett as Andrew Pitcher went two up with two to play against Robert McKnight.
But the Island man found trouble at both finishing holes to let McKnight in for the match-saving half.
The foursomes had been a mixture of the good and the bad as Ireland edged ahead 3-2. McNamara and Kearney were two under par in beating McEwan and Findlay 6 and 5. And McIlroy and Gilbert were three up with four to play against Addison and Findlay, but it was all downhill from there as they lost the last four holes to give the Scots a boost that they were to take full advantage of in the afternoon.
England, the holders, were meanwhile easing their way past Wales.
Wales got off to the better start and were up in four of the morning foursomes approaching the turn, but the back nine all went England's way as they snatched three vital halves to go in leading 3½-1½ at lunch.
Wales did make a brave fight of it in taking four of the afternoon singles, but England finally pulled away for victory.
Shot of the day came from England's Gary Boyd, who holed out his second shot for an albatross at the par-five 16th with a five-iron on his way to a one-hole win over Lee Jones.
IRELAND 7½ SCOTLAND 7½
Foursomes (Ireland first): A O'Callaghan, D Daly bt P O'Hara, S Henry 3 and 2; R McIlroy, K Gilbert lost to D Addison, J Findlay 1 up; C McNamara, N Kearney bt S McEwan, L Kirton 6 and 5; N Grant, C Hughes bt E Polson, R Kellett 2 and 1; S Power, R O'Connor lost to G Wood, R McKnight 3 and 2. Foursomes result: Ireland 3 Scotland 2.
Singles: A O'Callaghan bt S Henry 3 and 2; C McNamara lost to P O'Hara 1 up; R McIlroy bt D Addison 4 and 3; N Grant bt S McEwan 3 and 2; N Kearney lost to J Findlay 3 and 2; C Hughes bt R Kellett 1 up; K Gilbert lost to G Turner 2 holes; A Pitcher halved with R McKnight; D Daly lost to E Polson 6 and 5; S Power lost to G Wood 3 and 2. Singles result: Ireland 4½ Scotland 6½.
ENGLAND 9½ WALES 5½
Foursomes (England first) M Baldwin, G Boyd bt M Jones, L Jones 4 and 3; J Parry, B Parker halved with Z Gould, A Partington; B Evans, L Allen halved with M Lewis, M Trow; S Benson, O Turnill halved with R Merchant, L Lewis; G Slater, A McGregor bt A Runcie, D Lovell 2 and 1. Foursomes result: England 3½ Wales 1½.
Singles: M Baldwin bt M Jones 2 and 1; G Boyd bt L Jones 1 up; J Parry lost to Z Gould 2 and 1; O Fisher bt A Partington 3 and 2; B Parker lost to M Lewis 1 up; O Turnill lost to M Trow 2 and 1; S Benson bt A Runcie 2 and 1; A McGregor bt L Lewis 2 up; G Slater bt R Merchant 5 and 4. Singles result: England 6 Wales 4.
