BOYS' HOME INTERNATIONALS AT SOUTHERNESS

Irish hammer Scots, English draw with Welsh on Day 1

FROM THE RandA WEBSITE
Last year's runners-up Ireland have taken the lead after the first day of the 2010 Boys Home Internationals at Southerness Golf Club.
They defeated Scotland comfortably, 12-3, building on a score of 4 ½ - ½ , which they established after the five morning foursomes matches, then winning seven out of the 10 singles.
Wales and England halved their match, so Ireland go into the day two of the three-day, round-robin event in the outright lead.
Paul Dunne, who captained Great Britain and Ireland’s winning Jacques Leglise Trophy team last year, led Ireland by example, winning the first of the afternoon singles 4 and 3 against Southerness local Scott Gibson, before Dermot McElroy followed suit in the second game with a 2 and 1 win over Jack McDonald.
Game three was halved, but Ireland would win five out of the next six, with victories coming from Stephen Barry, Jack Hume, Gary Hurley, Alex Gleeson and Colm O’Sullivan.
Only Ewan Scott and Conor O’Neil bucked the trend, Scott recording a one-hole win over Jeff Hopkins, and O’Neil overcoming Liam Harnett 4 and 2 in the final game of the match.
“I’m very happy with today,” said Liam Martin, Ireland’s non-playing Captain. “I was particularly pleased with the performances of the younger boys. We expect it with the Paul Dunne’s of the world, but Jack Hume won both his matches along with another under-16, Alex Gleeson, so I’m very happy with them.”
“We learnt a bit from Hankley Common last year where they have lots of heather, too. We didn’t take a liking to it there, so hopefully we’ll continue to avoid it here!”
England let a three point lead slip from their grasp, as Wales valiantly fought back to halve the tie.
Things had been going according to plan for the 2009 Champions after taking 2 ½ points from the first four afternoon games, courtesy of a half-point from Nick Newbold, who had led by two holes at the turn, and victories by 5 and 3,  and 5 and 4, respectively,  for Paul Lockwood and Toby Tree.
But any thoughts of English dominance would end there. The early point won by Callum Roberts in the second game would be quadrupled, as Wales won the following three games in a row. Oliver Baker, who won his tie 3 and 2; David Boote, who claimed a 2 and 1 victory; and Oliver Mottram, who triumphed by the same margin as Boote, would bring their team back within one point of England.
Jack Heasman dashed Welsh hopes of victory after overcoming Zac Galliford by just one hole, but there was still half a point to play for. Craig Melding’s 3 and 2 win over James Burnett in the 10th and game of the match brought the deficit back to one and, so, it was down to the diminutive Delon Hau, playing in game nine, to salvage the day.
Hau held on to his one hole advantage all the way home from the 11th, holing from four feet on the last to half the match in front of all 10 of his overjoyed team-mates.
“It was great to complete the comeback in front of all the boys,” said Hau. “It’s a great achievement to do that against a team like England, and hopefully we can take this positive feeling into the next couple of days.”
Tomorrow, Wales will play Scotland in the day’s first match, before Ireland take on England.
First-day results:
IRELAND 12, SCOTLAND 3

FOURSOMES  (4.5-0.5)
Irish names first
Paul Dunne and Jeff Hopkins bt Scott Gibson and Jack McDonald 2 and 1.
Liam Harnett and Gary Hurley bt Liam Johnston and Simon Fairburn 3 and 2.
Dermot McElroy and Colm O'Sullivan bt Jamie Lynch and Ian Redford 5 and 4.
Chris Selfridge and Matthew McKnight halved with Conor O'Neil and Paul McPhee. 0
Alex Gleeson and Jack Hume bt Grant Forrest and Daniel Hendry 4 and 3.

SINGLES (7.5-2,5).
Paul Dunne bt Scott Gibson 4 and 3.
Dermot McElroy bt Jack McDonald 2 and 1.
Chris Selfridge halved with Grant Forrest.
Stephen Barry bt Liam Johnston 1 hole.
Jeff Hopkins lost to Ewan Scott 1 hole.
Jack Hume bt Jamie Lynch 3 and 1.
Gary Hurley bt Ian Redford 3 and 1.
Alex Gleeson bt Simon Fairburn 1 hole.
Colm Sullivan bt Daniel Hendry 1 hole.
Liam Harnett lost to Conor O'Neil 4 and 2.


ENGLAND 7.5, WALES 7.5

FOURSOMES (4-1)
England names first
Paul Lockwood and Nick Newbold bt Mitchell Reed and Callum Roberts 6 and 5.
Callum Shinkwin and Toby Tree lost to Luke Jackson and Zac Galliford 2 holes.
James Burnett and Greg Eason bt Oliver Lewis and Delon Hau 5 and 4.
Oliver Carr and Nathan Kimsey bt Craig Melding and Oliver Baker 2 and 1.
Harry Casey and Jack Heasman bt David Boote and Oliver Mottram 4 and 3.

SINGLES (3.5-6.5)
Nick Newbold halved with Luke Jackson.
Paul Lockwood bt Julian Sansom 5 and 3.
Callum Shinkwin lost to Callum Roberts 1 hole.
Toby Tree bt Oliver Lewis 5 and 4.
Harry Casey lost to Oliver Baker 3 and 2.
Oliver Carr lost to David Boote 2 and 1.
Colin Walsh lost to Oliver Mottram 2 and 1.
Jack Heasman bt Zac Galliford 1 hole.
Greg Eason lost to Delon Hau 1 hole.
James Burnett lost to Craig Melding 3 and 2.

FIRST DAY STANDINGS
Ireland 1pt, England 1/2pt, Wales 1/2pt, Scotland 0pt.