An exhausted Irish youths team paid the price for all their recent golf when they went down 5 1/2 to 3 1/2 to Wales in the annual youths international at Headfort yesterday.
However, despite being on the losing side, Athlone's Colm Moriarty made a strong claim for a place on the Irish six-man team for the European championships when he produced brilliant golf to beat Oliver Pughe 7 and 5 in the afternoon singles.
Ireland's only winner's of the morning foursomes were Alan Murray and Alan Thomas, who beat Morgan Palmer and Neil Matthews 3 and 2, while Michael Hoey and Moriarty lost on the 18th when Hoey was too strong with the second shot.
Hoey has now withdrawn from the Irish youths championship which begins at Headfort today in order to get some rest before playing in the Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen next week.
Alan Murray was the only Irish player to take full points from his two matches when he beat Neil Matthews on the 18th, while Tim Rice gained a half with Mark Pilkington.
