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Defending champions Scotland fightback for draw with hosts Ireland in opening game at 2007 Mens Home International Golf Series

Posted by Big G under Irish Golf, Latest Golf News, Mens Amateur, Mens Amateur Golf, Scotch Corner

Defending Champions Scotland clawed back a draw against hosts Ireland in the 67th staging of the Home Internationals at County Louth, which got underway in Ireland today.

After losing the morning foursomes 3 ½ - 1 ½ the Scots rallied against the impressive Irish side, to take control of the singles campaigns with a winning margin of 6 – 4, which was enough to see Scotland escape defeat on day one of the three day event (19 – 21 September).

Carnoustie’s Keir McNicoll and Banchory’s James Byrne - who flew back from the US to make his debut in the men’s home side - took on the might of Irish Champion Shane Lowry and Simon Ward, both of whom were members of the winning Irish Team who took the European Team Championship title earlier this season. The McNicoll and Byrne pairing halved their match, whilst Scottish Stroke Play Champion Kevin McAlpine teamed with Newlands Trophy winner Callum Macaulay took the only win of the morning.

Wallace Booth and West of Scotland Champion Jonathan King were unlucky to suffer a narrow defeat after battling to retain their 1 hole lead with four to play. The Scottish duo were forced to capitulate, succumbing to Pat Murray and Joe Lyons who birdied three of the last four holes to claim the win. Elsewhere, Scotland suffered two further foursomes defeats with Ireland claiming the upperhand going into the afternoon singles bouts.

Men’s Home debutants James Byrne, Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth won their singles matches, whilst Macaulay – also a fresh face in the line-up – lost 2&1 to Joe Lyons.

However it was Scott Henry’s tussle against Connor Doran which was to prove the critical match and a cliffhanger in the afternoon’s proceedings. Henry was 1 up with 2 to play, when he marked his ball and put the ball in his pocket. Following a ruling on Henry’s actions deemed as cleaning his ball off the green, his opponent Doran was awarded the hole. With both players all square playing the 18th, Henry parred the last for a much needed win by 1 hole.

Scottish Amateur finalist Keir McNicoll lost by one hole in his singles match and Kevin McAlpine took a resounding defeat from his bout against Paul Cutler who claimed a 7&6 victory. Scottish Amateur Champion John Gallagher succumbed in the last defeat of the afternoon, 4&3 to Cian McNamara.

Meanwhile, the England and Wales match mirrored the scoreline of pre-tournament favourites Ireland and defending champions Scotland. The Welsh side won the morning foursomes 3 ½ - 1 ½ despite the omission of Walker Cup player Nigel Edwards, who was forced to withdraw due to a stomach upset. However England won the afternoon singles matches 6 – 4, to leave England and Wales with a 7 ½ - 7 ½ draw.

Home Internationals
Co. Louth Golf Club
19th - 21st September 2007

Results for Day One - Wednesday 19th September

Scotland 7 1/2 Ireland 7 1/2
(Scotland names first)

Foursomes:
K McNicoll & J Byrne halved with S Lowry & S Ward; K McAlpine & C Macaulay bt P Cutler & N Kearney 1 hole; P O’Hara & G Campbell lost to P O’Hanlon & C Curley 3/2; J King & W Booth lost to P Murray & J Lyons 1 hole; J Gallagher & S Henry lost to C McNamara & N O Briain 2/1.

Singles:
K McNicoll lost to S Lowry 1 hole; K McAlpine lost to P Cutler 7/6; G Campbell bt S Ward
2/1; J Byrne bt N Kearney 2/1; P O’Hara bt P Murray 1 hole; C Macaulay lost to C Curley
2/1; S Henry bt C Doran 1 hole; G Dear bt J Lyons 2/1; W Booth bt P O’Hanlon 3/2; J
Gallagher lost to C McNamara 4/3.

England 7 1/2 Wales 7 1/2
(England names first)

Foursomes:
Daniel Willett & Gary Boyd lost to Craig Evans & Ryan Thomas 4/3;  Matthew Cryer &
Ben Evans bt Jason Shufflebotham & Rhys Enoch 4/3; Gary Wolstenholme & Ben Parker halved with Luke Thomas & Adam Runcie;  Chris Wood & Sam Hutsby lost to Llewellyn Matthews & Jamie Howe 4/3; Matthew Baldwin & Dale Whitnell lost to Zac Gould & Ben Westgate 4/3.

Singles:
Daniel Willett lost to Craig Evans 1 hole; Gary Boyd bt  Luke Thomas 2/1; Matthew Cryer
lost to  Llewellyn Matthews 1 hole; Ben Evans bt  Zac Gould 4/3; Charlie Ford bt  Rhys
Enoch 2 holes; Gary Wolstenholme lost to  Ryan Thomas 2/1; Ben Parker lost to  Adam
Runcie 3/2; Sam Hutsby bt  Ben Westgate 6/4; Chris Wood bt   Jamie Howe 3/2; Dale
Whitnell bt  Jason Shufflebotham 1 hole.

******************************
Draw for Day Two - Thursday 19th September:

Scotland v Wales
(Scotland names first):

Foursomes - 7.30am:
Keir McNicoll & James Byrne v Nigel Edwards & Rhys Enoch; Glenn Campbell & Paul O’Hara v Craig Evans & Ryan Thomas; Scott Henry & John Gallagher v Llewellyn Matthews & Jamie Howie; Callum Macaulay & Gavin Dear v Ben Westgate & Zac Gould; Jonathan King & Wallace Booth v Luke Thomas & Adam Runcie.

Singles - 12.15pm:
Keir McNicoll v Craig Evans; Scott Henry v Llewellyn Matthews; Glenn Campbell v Nigel
Edwards; Paul O’Hara v Zac Gould; James Byrne v Ryan Thomas; Jonathan King v Ben
Westgate; Callum Macaulay v Adam Runcie; Gavin Dear v Rhys Enoch; Wallace Booth v Jason  Shufflebotham; Kevin McAlpine v Jamie Howie.

England v Ireland
(England names first):

Foursomes - 8.10am:
Daniel Willett & Charlie Ford v Shane Lowry & Simon Ward; Matthew Cryer & Ben Evans v
Paul Cutler & Niall Kearney; Gary Wolstenholme & Ben Parker v Paul O’Hanlon & Cian
Curley; Chris Wood & Sam Hutsby v Pat Murray & Joe Lyons; Dale Whitnell & Gary Boyd v Cian McNamara & Neil O Briain.

Singles - 1.55pm:
Daniel Willett v Shane Lowry; Ben Evans v Paul Cutler; Matthew Cryer v Cian Curley;
Charlie Ford v Pat Murray; Gary Wolstenholme v Joe Lyons; Ben Parker v Simon Ward; Sam Hutsby v Niall Kearney; Chris Wood v Paul O’Hanlon; Gary Boyd v Neil O Briain; Dale Whitnell v Cian McNamara.