GOLF: Ireland let slip a useful looking foursomes advantage over Scotland on the opening day of the men's amateur Home International Championship at Royal St David's, in Harlech, Wales, and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
They were in a strong position at 3½-1½ following the morning foursomes, and appeared to consolidate their situation when they won four of the top five singles. But there was then a complete about-turn as they went down in the bottom five matches and ended the day at 7½-7½ each.
Wales, meanwhile, caused an opening day shock when they came from behind to beat England 8-7 and they will, today, meet Ireland while Scotland face the wounded England.
Irish captain Eddie Dunne, while undoubtedly disappointed his team did not open with a victory, firmly believes they are still very much in the hunt. "If we can win against Wales, and England beat the Scots, then we are actually in pole position," said Dunne.
For long periods during the morning it looked as though the Irish would take a 4-1 lead into the afternoon's singles, but Noel Fox and Andrew McCormick - in charge for most of the time against Graham Gordon and Andrew McArthur - were pegged back in the closing holes for a half.
Fox and McCormick needed to produce magical up and downs at the 16th and 18th to make sure that the Irish had a two-point lead going into lunch.
In the singles, Athlone's Colm Moriarty was in majestic form in demolishing Scottish order of merit champion Graham Gordon 5 and 4. Moriarty romped to the turn in five under par 31 and was still five under when the match finished on the 14th.
Noel Fox was also five under par in hammering Jack Doherty 6 and 5. Doherty never got going and did not hole any significant putts, but Fox was unstoppable. There were excellent victories also for Justin Kehoe and Gareth Maybin.
But the rot set-in in the bottom half of the order as Darren Crowe, Andrew McCormick and Ken Kearney all lost some way from home.
At that point Ireland could not lose, but they needed another half point for victory, and the crunch match was that in which Co Sligo's Sean McTernan clashed with Jamie McLeary.
McTernan knocked in a long putt at the 16th, but he was followed in by McLeary to keep the match level - and then at the next the Scot rammed home a 40-footer to edge ahead.
When McTernan put his tee-shot into rough at the short 18th it was effectively curtains as McLeary hit the heart of the green.
There was just one match left on the course and in that Stuart Paul battled bravely against last year's European championship runner-up Stuart Wilson, but, having fallen two behind with four to play, could not bridge the gap although he did get one back at the 16th.
That match ended on the home green in favour of Wilson and the countries shared the honours.
For today's match against Wales, Ireland has replaced Crowe in the foursomes with McGinn, who will partner Maybin, and Padraig Dooley, who played only once yesterday, will compete in both foursomes and singles.
