SENIOR SCOTS MEN LOSE TO IRISH IN EURO SEMI-

FINALS BUT BRONZE MEDALS STILL TO PLAY FOR

Top seeds Ireland will play No2 qualifiers England in Saturday's final of the European senior men's amateur team golf championship at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lancashire.

As expected, the rampant Irish, leading qualifiers by a mile for the match-play stages, were too strong for Scotland in the semi-finals.

Ireland won 3 1/2-1 1/2 after Scotland's foursomes pairing of Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess) and Colin Christy (Kilmacolm), pictured left by Tom Ward Photography, had put the first point on the board by beating Tom Cleary and Michael Quirke 4 and 3.

Arthur Piersse levelled it for Ireland by beating Tony Stafford (Dun Ochil) 3 and 2.
Scotland fell behind 2-1 when David Gardner (Broomieknowe) lost by one hole to Maurice Kelly.

Scottish senior champion Scott MacDonald, a former Walker Cup, continued his week of dire results. After having two non-counting scores in the stroke-play stages, the Dunfermline man lost heavily in his first match-play tie on Thursday and it was a similar story against Ireland.

Garth McGimspey, also a past Walker Cup player, beat MacDonald by 7 and 6.

That was the victory-clinching third point for Ireland.

Edzell's Jim Watt halved with Adrian Morrow in the final singles.

England had to fight harder than expected to take their place in Saturday's final. They beat No 6 qualifiers Spain 3-2.

Doug Arnold and former world speedway champion Dave Jessup scored a comfortable 6 and 5 win for England over Juan Carlos Tinture and Enrique Fontecilla in the opening foursome.

But Juan Ortin levelled it for Spain with a 5 and 4 win over Alan Squires.

England edged ahead 2-1 with a 3 and 2 win by Andrew Carman over Angel Macias.

Then Francisco Maestro tied it up at 2-2 by beating Chris Reynolds 2 and 1.

It was all to play for in the final singles and Philip Slater was the match-winning hero for England with a 3 and 2 verdict over Gustavo Larrazabal.

Scotland can still come home from Lancashire with bronze medals if they beat Spain in the play-off for third place.

Results:

SEMI-FINALS

IRELAND 3 1/2, SCOTLAND 1 1/2

Tom Cleary and Michael Quirke lost to Ian Taylor and Colin Christy 4 and 3.

Arthur Pierse bt Tony Stafford 3 and 2.

Maurice Kelly bt David Gardner 1 hole.

Garth McGimpsey bt Scott MacDonald 7 and 6.

Adrian Morrow halved with Jim Watt.

ENGLAND 3, SPAIN 2
Doug Arnold and Dave Jessup bt Juan Carlos Tinture and Enrique Fontecilla 6 and 5.
Alan Squires lost to Juan Ortin 5 and 4.
Andrew Carman bt Angel Macias 3 and 2.
Chris Reynolds lost to Francisco Maestro 2 and 1.
Philip Slater bt Gustavo Larrazabal 3 and 2.