Ireland flattered to deceive in the Girls Home Internationals Golf Championship at High Post, Wiltshire yesterday. Seeking their first title triumph, they looked as though they might open their account in positive fashion when they led Scotland 2-1 after the morning foursomes. But they were overwhelmed by reigning Champions Scotland in the singles - losing five of them and halving the other.

That meant they crashed to a 61/221/2 defeat. Today they face England, who surprisingly lost 5-4 to Wales yesterday. Irish Champion Pamela Murphy from The Island club, who showed disappointing form in the British Girls Open Amateur Championship last week, returned to something like her best when she teamed up with Una Marsden for the foursomes victory and then halved her singles match against four times Scottish Junior Champion Vikki Laing. It was obviously a great disappointment for Irish Captain Ada O'Sullivan but she must take comfort from the fact that three of the singles were lost on the 17th green and the other two on the final hole. "The Championship is far from over and our next aim is to beat England," said O'Sullivan.