Ireland win European senior men's amateur team final

Scotland's squad in the European senior men's amateur team championship in Slovenia.

SILVER LINING FOR SENIOR SCOTS
FA HAE WI' HUTCHEON BLED

Scotland failed by the narrowest of margins to win the European senior men's amateur team championship for the second year in a row.

In Saturday's final against Ireland at Bled Golf Club, Slovenia, Ireland won 3-2.Donald McCart (Castlerock) and Gordon MacDonald (Callander) beat Ireland's Nigel Duke and Val Smyth by one hole in the opening foursomes tie.

Skipper Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) got Scotland's second point by beating Seamus McParland 2 and 1.

But Brian Grieve (King James VI) lost by 5 and 4 to Tony Goode and John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) lost to Maurice Kelly by 3 and 2.

The Stephen Ellis (Cowal) v Hugh Smyth singles tie then became the decider. Smyth holed from 10ft on the 18th green to square the match - and it was then into sudden-death extra holes.

The 19th was halved in 4.

The 20th was halved after another great Smyth putt under pressure, this time from 20ft.

At the third extra hole, Ellis, after being in a lateral hazard, took two more to get on the green. Smyth played a perfect chip to within an inch of the cup to win the tie and the European senior gold medals for Ireland.
This adds another chapter in Ireland's great golfing success story over the past few weeks:

1 Padraig Harrington won the Open.
2 Rory McIlroy won the amateur silver medal at Carnoustie.

3 Ireland won the European men's amateur team championship at Western Gailes.

4 Arthur Pierse from Tipperary won a play-off to take the British senior men's amateur title at Nairn.

5 Danielle McVeigh from Kilkeel won the women's golf medal in the World Student Games in Thailand on Friday.

But all credit to the Scots. They struck gold last year and silver this year. And they may yet retain the senior men's home internationals title.

England beat France 4-1 in Slovenia to gain the third-placed bronze medals.

Saturday's results:

FINAL

SCOTLAND 2, IRELAND 3
Foursome: D McCart, G MacDonald bt N Duke, V Smyth 1 hole (1-0).
Singles: S Ellis lost to H Smyth at 21st, I C Hutcheon bt S McParland 2 and 1, B Grieve lost to T Goode 5 and 4, J W Johnson lost to M Kelly 3 and 2 (1-3).

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF

ENGLAND 4, FRANCE 1

Foursome: R Smethurst, A Morrison lost to J P Chombart, G Roumeas 7 and 6 (0-1)
Singles: D Lane bt R Fontagneres 1 hole, C Reynolds bt A Riviere 3 and 2, D Arnold bt A Godillot 2 and 1, A Squires bt A Coune 3 and 2 (4-0)

Fifth place play-off: Germany 4, Italy 1.

Seventh place: Spain 4, Sweden 1.

Ninth place: Netherlands 3, Austria 2.

11th place: Finland 4, Belgium 1.

13th place: Netherlands 3, Austria 2.

15th place: Slovenia 5, Czech Republic 0.