The fickleness of links golf is that you can never count your chickens, as Ireland discovered in the Men's Amateur Home Internationals at Baltray yesterday. What had seemed to be a healthy, momentum-carrying lead after the foursomes with holders Scotland proved to be nothing of the sort and, ultimately, when the singles were played out, the two countries finished locked together with no winner and no loser and a half-point apiece.
On a contrary day weather wise, which mixed rain with sunshine and enough wind to cause players to deliberate over club selection, Ireland - who had taken the foursomes by 3 ½ to 1 ½ - tied Scotland 7 ½ points each, a result which still left both teams in contention for the Raymond Trophy.
Quite remarkably, in a mirror image of the Ireland-Scotland encounter, the Welsh - who had to play without their Walker Cup player Nigel Edwards who was suffering the effects of food poisoning - and England also drew 7½ -7 ½ each. Wales, like Ireland, had taken a two-point lead into the singles, only to be pulled back.
"We're still in there with a shout. Sure it's disappointing to only draw, because we had it in our own hands after the foursomes. But the Scots are really good players, and there is still all to play for," said Irish captain Michael Burns, whose team faces England today in the second series of round-robin matches. Wales take on Scotland.
Ireland, with just two members - Shane Lowry and Simon Ward - of the six-man team that won the European team championships in July in action, went into the 10 afternoon singles requiring 4½ points for outright victory.
Nobody could fault the top two players, who sought to provide inspiration and delivered the goods with fine wins that, however, failed to have the desired effect behind.
The best golf of all was produced by 18-year-old Paul Cutler, who was seven under par in the 12 holes it took him to account for Kevin McAlpine, who was first reserve for the Walker Cup.
It was an exceptional performance from the Ulster boys' champion and a player who accounted for Rory McIlory in the quarter-finals of the West earlier this season.
"I rate him very highly," commented Burns, who had put him in at number two - in the match behind Irish champion Lowry, who saw off Keir McNicoll on the 18th - and Cutler's performance endorsed his captain's opinion.
From the time that Cutler eagled the 531 yards sixth to go three-up on McAlpine, he was in a zone that saw him win the seventh in par, the eighth in par, and then produce a hat-trick of birdies from the ninth to the 11th before parring the 12th to close out the match.
Lowry had a roller-coaster ride before seeing off McNicoll by one hole, winning the 18th with a birdie.
Up to then, it was a topsy-turvy game with the Offaly man winning the 14th in birdie to go one up, losing the 15th to par, winning the 16th in birdie, and losing the 17th to a 30-foot birdie before winning the closing hole where McNicoll was in trouble right off the tee and sprained his wrist in making a remarkable recovery shot.
With the Scot very nearly chipping in for a birdie, it required Lowry to sink his three-footer to close out the deal.
Ireland's other winners were Cian Curley, who accounted for Callum Macaulay by 2 and 1, and Cian McNamara, who beat Scottish champion John Gallagher by 4 and 3.
However, the half point from one of the other six matches eluded the Irish, with Connor Doran - who had been four down after 11 holes on teenager Scott Henry - going closest when getting back to all square after 17 holes, where he was incorrectly awarded the hole after Henry put the ball in his pocket having marked it when off the green.
The correct ruling should have been a one-stroke penalty, not loss of hole.
However, such matters were ruled immaterial when Henry won the 18th - in par - to win his singles and ensure that the overall match finished tied.
England, meanwhile, salvaged a half-point with a gallant singles performance, that saw them draw level with Wales when Dale Whitnell won the decisive final match with Jason Shufflebotham by one hole, winning the 18th.
Ireland 7 ½ Scotland 7 ½
(Irish names first):
Foursomes: S Lowryand S Ward halved with K McNicolland J Byrne; P Cutler and N Kearney lost to K McAlpine and C Macaulay 1 hole; P O'Hanlon and C Curley bt P O'Haraand G Campbell 3 and 2; P Murray and J Lyons bt J King and W Booth 1 hole; C McNamara and N O'Briain bt J Gallagherand S Henry 2 and 1.
Singles: S Lowry bt K McNicoll 1 hole; P Cutler bt K McAlpine 7 and 6; S Ward lost to G Campbell 2 and 1; N Kearney lost to J Byrne 2 and 1; P Murray lost to P O'Hara 1 hole; C Curley bt C Macaulay 2 and 1; C Doran lost to S Henry 1 hole; J Lyons lost to G Dear 2 and 1; P O'Hanlon lost to W Booth 3 and 2; C McNamara bt J Gallagher 4 and 3.
Wales 7 ½ England 7 ½
(Welsh names first):
Foursomes: C Evansand R Thomas bt D Willett and G Boyd 4 and 3; J Shufflebotham and R Enoch lost to M Cryer and B Evans 4 and 3; L Thomas and A Runcie halved with G Wolstenholme and B Parker; L Matthewsand J Howe bt C Woodand S Hutsby 4 and 3; Z Gould and B Westgate bt M Baldwin and D Whitnell 4 and 3.
Singles: C Evans bt D Willett 1 hole; L Thomas lost to G Boyd 2 and 1; L Matthews bt M Cryer 1 hole; Z Gould lost to B Evans 4 and 3; R Enoch lost to C Ford 2 holes; R Thomas bt G Wolstenholme 2 and 1; A Runcie bt B Parker 3 and 2; B Westgate lost to S Hutsby 6 and 4; J Howe lost to C Wood 3 and 2; J Shufflebotham lost to D Whitnell 1 hole.
