Despite some short-game indiscretions, Ireland's women golfers retained more than sufficient fire-power to defeat Wales in the opening session of the Home Internationals at Lahinch yesterday. Conditions were ideal when England, holders for the last five years, beat Scotland comfortably.
It was the best Irish performance against the Welsh since Hermitage in 1993, when the home side managed half a point more. And it owed much to the skill of the older hands, who set a splendid example at the top of the order.
But the outstanding battle of the day happened elsewhere. In the top singles, England's Kim Rostron, winner of the Helen Holm, English Matchplay and St Rule Trophy this season, made a remarkable par on the last to halve with the reigning British and Scottish champion, Alison Rose.
After driving into rough at the last, Rostron seemed set for defeat when it took her four to get on the green. In a sparkling finale, however, she sank a par putt of 30 feet for an equitable outcome to a splendid match.
Meanwhile, after a clean sweep of the foursomes, it was not surprising that Irish skipper, Claire Dowling named the same pairings against England this morning. Whether she will stick with a singles order which crumbled around the middle, is highly debatable, however.
Still, the team finished strongly. Diminutive Michelle McGreevy in the anchor position had a fine, 2 and 1 win over Kate Stark to maintain a 100 per record of seven points out of seven since her debut at Longniddry last year.
She also gained the distinction of playing one of the finest shots of the day. This was one of game's most demanding tests, a 30-yard bunker recovery from short of the ninth green. In the event, the ball came to rest within two feet of the pin for an improbable half in par.
The buoyant mood of the afternoon owed much, however, to a rousing performance in the second of the morning's foursomes. From an apparently hopeless position of four down after 10, Eileen Rose Power and new cap Elaine Dowdall fought back to win on the 18th.
In fact they had squared the match by the short 16th. Then, at the next, Dowdall hit a solid approach to 12 feet from where Power sank a winning, birdie putt. But the newcomer still had to face the ordeal of a 3 1/2-footer for the match on the 18th.
Power clearly wanted to leave the ball closer, but marginally misjudged its pace out of the back fringe. With an expectant crowd around the green, Dowdall would have wished for a gentler baptism, but to her credit the ball went solidly into the centre of the cup.
There was also considerable merit in the last of the foursomes. From the opposite side of the hole and 14 feet away, McGreevy's short-game skills were very much in evidence as she rolled the putt home for a match-winning birdie four in partnership with Alison Coffey.
Suzanne Fanagan, the reigning Irish champion, led the side in exemplary fashion, winning the top singles against Eleanor Pilgrim by 3 and 2. By her own admission, however, the Milltown player was lifted by the knowledge that Power was racing away from Louise Davis at number two.
"It was a little daunting to be out there at number one," said Fanagan afterwards. She gave herself every chance, however, by being one up at the turn and then stretching her lead with a glorious eagle three at the 423-yard 10th, which she reduced to a drive, three wood and five-foot putt.
She was sufficiently in control to overcome two three-putts later in the match. But the same mistakes proved to be costly for Hazel Kavanagh, who was two up after 12 and later had to win the 17th to force a half with Rebecca Morgan, a talented striker with an interesting pause in her take-away.
Paula Gorman was the only new Irish cap in action in the singles and she recovered from a shaky start to take Natalee Evans to the 18th. The Ulster player lost the 11th and 13th to birdies but fought back to square the match by taking the 15th and 16th and birdie par. But she had to give best to a 12-foot birdie from the Welsh player at the last.
