IT'S THE BIG DRAW AT

COUNTY LOUTH!

Scots hit back to hold Irish,

England do likewise v Welsh

in home internationals

It's shaping like the closest men's home internationals series ever. On the opening day at County Louth, Ireland, Scotland, bidding to win the title for a third year in a row, drew with European champions Ireland 7 1/2-7 1/2 and the England v Wales match came to the very same conclusion.
Considering it was a Scotland line-up without Lloyd Saltman and Richie Ramsay - both now in the pro ranks after stellar amateur careers - it has to be rated a good performance by the Scots who included new caps Callum Macaulay and Gavin Dear, not to mention young James Byrne (pictured right) who flew in from Arizona to make his debut at this level of competition although he did play in the European team championship.
Ireland won the foursomes 3 1/2-1 1/2 and must have felt pretty confident of maintaining that 2pt advantage through the singles - but they didn't.
Glenn Campbell, James Byrne, Paul O'Hara, Scott Hendry, Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth all played like heroes to give Scotland a 6-4 afternoon success.
Wales lacked the services of Walker Cup man Noel Edwards who was laid low by a stomach bug and, of course, team-mate Rhys Davies who is now a professional but they still managed to hold the mighty England.

In fact, it was really a case of England managing to hold Wales because the Welshmen took the foursomes 3 1/2-1 1/2 and were ahead overall until England won the last three singles.

FIRST DAY RESULTS

SCOTLAND 7 1/2, IRELAND 7 1/2
Foursomes ( 1 1/2-3 1/2)
Keir McNicoll & James Byrne halved with Shane Lowry & Simon Ward.
Kevin McAlpine & Callum Macaulay bt Paul Cutler & Niall Kearney 1 hole.
Paul O'Hara & Glenn Campbell lost to Paul O'Hanlon & Cian Curley 3 and 2.
Jonathan King & Wallace Booth lost to Pat Murray & Joe Lyons 1 hole.
John Gallagher & Scott Henry lost to Cian McNamara & Neil O'Briain 2 and 1.
Singles (6-4)
McNicoll lost to Lowry 1 hole.
McAlpine lost to Cutler 7 and 6.
Campbell bt Ward 2 and 1.
Byrne bt Kearney 2 and 1.
O'Hara bt Murray 1 hole.
Macaulay lost to Curley 2 and 1.
Henry bt Connor Doran 1 hole.
Gavin Dear bt Lyons 2 and 1.
Booth bt O'Hanlon 3 and 2.
Gallagher lost to McNamara 4 and 3.

ENGLAND 7 1/2, WALES 7 1/2
Foursomes (1 1/2-3 1/2)
Daniel Willett & Gary Boyd lost to Craig Evans & Ryan Thomas 4 and 3.
Matthew Cryer & Ben Evans bt J Shufflebotham & Rhys Enoch 4 and 3.
Gary Wolstenholme & Ben Parker halved with Luke Thomas & Adam Runcie.
Chris Wood & Sam Hutsby lost to Llewellyn Matthews & Jamie Howe 4 and 3.
Matthew Baldwin & Dale Whitnell lost to Zac Gould & Ben Westgate 4 and 3.
Singles (6-4)
Willett lost to Evans 1 hole.
Boyd bt L Thomas 2 and 1.
Cryer lost to Matthews 1 hole.

Evans bt Gould 4 and 3.
Charlie Ford bt Enoch 2 holes.
Wolstenholme lost to Ryan Thomas 2 and 1.
Parker lost to Runcie 3 and 2.
Hutsby bt Westgate 6 and 4.
Wood bt Howe 3 and 2.
Whitnell bt Shufflebotham 1 hole.