IRELAND WIN EUROPEAN TITLE AS SCOTLAND
FINISH ON A HIGH WITH WIN OVER ENGLAND

Ireland are the new European men's amateur champions. They beat France, conquerors of Scotland in Friday's semi-finals, by 4 1/2 to 2 1/2 in today's final at Western Gailes Golf Club.
Scotland finished on a high by beating old rivals England, the No 1 seeds and defending champions 4-3.
Scotland's "Big Two," Lloyd Saltman and Richie Ramsay, won their singles, confirming the opinion that when they were on song, the Scots were arguably the best team in the championship.
But that's only on paper. Ireland did it where it counted ... on the course ... and to beat a well-prepared French team was a magnficent achievement.
The Irish showed they were no one-man band in managing to win the title despite a defeat in the final's foursomes and again in the singles for their top player, teenager Rory McIlroy who will be playing for GB&I in the Walker Cup.
Saltman has confirmed that this was his last appearance for Scotland. He will turn professional after the Walker Cup match at Royal County Down which comes earlier in September than the men's home internationals.
Richie Ramsay will almost certainly follow suit.
Good luck to them!

Results from the final day at Western Gailes:

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

FRANCE 2 1/2, IRELAND 4 1/2

Foursomes: 1-1
Alexandre Kaleka & Adrien Bernadet bt Rory McIlroy & Jonathan Caldwell 5 and 4.
Jean Wolff & Kenny Le Sager lost to Shane Lowry & Richard Kilpatrick 2 holes.
Singles 1 1/2-3 1/2
Romain Bechu bt McIlroy 3 and 2.
Victor Dubuisson lost to Lowry 5 and 4.
Bernadet lost to Kilpatrick 3 and 2.
Kaleka lost to Caldwell 3 and 2.
Wolff halved with Simon Ward.

PLAY-OFF FOR 3RD PLACE

SCOTLAND 4, ENGLAND 3
Foursomes: 1-1
James Byrne & Keir McNicoll bt Paul Waring & John Parry 3 and 2.
Jonathan King & Richie Ramsay lost ot Jamie Moul & Gary Wolstenholme 2 and 1.
Singles: 3-2
Kevin McAlpine lost to Parry 4 and 3.
McNicoll lost to Waring 6 and 4.
Lloyd Saltman bt David Horsey 4 and 3.
King bt Gary Boyd 3 and 2.
Ramsay bt Wolstenholme 2 and 1.

PLAY-OFF FOR 5TH PLACE
SPAIN 4 1/2, DENMARK 1/2

PLAY-OFF FOR 7TH PLACE
SWEDEN 3, WALES 2

PLAY-OFF FOR 9TH PLACE
NORWAY 3, NETHERLANDS 2

PLAY-OFF FOR 11TH PLACE
GERMANY 3, PORTUGAL 2

PLAY-OFF FOR 13TH PLACE
BELGIUM 3, AUSTRIA 2

PLAY-OFF FOR 15TH PLACE
FINLAND 3 1/2, SWITZERLAND 1 1/2

PLAY-OFF FOR 17TH PLACE
ICELAND 3, CZECH REPUBLIC 2

PLAY-OFF FOR 19TH PLACE
ITALY 3, TURKEY 2

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