SCOTS WERE NOT HAMMERED BY THE ENGLISH. DESPITE THE SCORELINE
Thanks go go Colin Farquharson for the report
Ireland, 5-3 winners over Wales today (Wed), are the only team with a 100 % record going into the final day of the Senior Home International matches at Elie and Earlsferry Fife. Only Scotland, beaten 6 1/2-1 1/2 by England, stand between the Irish and a first ever seven-a-side title.
Even a draw against the mercurial Scots would be enough to clinch the over-50s title for Ireland who won the bronze medal in the recent European senior women's championships in Switzerland.
Ireland made a 3-0 clean sweep of the foursomes for the second day in a row but the fighting Welsh took them down a peg by winning the singles 3-2.
The England v Scotland match was closer than the final scoreline of 6 1/2-1 1/2 in favour of the English would suggest.
Scotland won the first foursome and were ahead in the other two but went in at lunchtime trailing 2-1. Of the five singles, three went to the 18th green and the two others ended at the 17th.
Chris Quinn put England ahead 3-1 by beating Alison Bartlett 2 and 1 in the lead-off singles. Bartlett had the better of the outward half and was two up three times within the first eight holes. But Quinn won the ninth, 12th and 13th to lead for the first time.
Five of the last six holes were halved but Quinn went to up at the 16th.
Caroline Berry ensured that England could not be beaten by delivering the fourth point, courtesy of a 2 and 1 win over Lorna Bennett. Betty was three up after five holes and though Bennett got her deficit back to one hole after eighth she could down get the gains after that. Nine of the last 10 holes were halved with Berry going two up by winning the 13th.
Scotland's Heather Anderson was three up after six holes, having won three in a row from the fourth, against Barbara Laird who fell four down when she lost the eighth. That was the high point for Anderson. Laird won the ninth, 14th, 15th and 16th to square the match and the last two holes were halved.
Felicity Christine beat Fiona De Vries by one hole in a match of two halves. Christine won five holes in a row from the third and was five up after 10. Then De Vries took over the driving seat. She won the 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th to be one down with three to play.
Christine held the rallying Scot at bay by halving the lat three holes.
Rozalyn Adams beat Mary Smith by two holes after leading for the first time at the 17th and also winning the 18th. Smith had been two up after two and still two up after seven but Adams finished the stronger.
IRELAND 5, WALES 3
Foursomes - H Jones and P Doran bt A Lewis and V Thomas 3 and 2, S McElroy and C Wickham bt C Harries and P. Fernon 7 an d6, S Corcoran and G McMullen bt J Rees and D Richards 1 hole (3-0)
Singles - McElory lost to Lewis 2 and 1, Wickham bt O Davies 4 and 3, Jones lost to Rees 5 and 4, K Evans lost to Thomas 2 and 1, Doran bt Richards 2 and 1 (2-3).
SCOTLAND 1 1/2, ENGLAND 6 1/2
Foursomes - L Bennett and F De Vries bt C Quinn and A Mayne 5 and 4, M Smith and A Ryan lost to R Adams and B Laird 1 hole, H Anderson and A Bartlett lost to J Melville and F Christine 2 holes (1-2)
Singles - Bartlett lost to1/2 Quinn 2 and 1, Bennett lost to C Berry 2 and 1, De Vries lost to Christine 1 hole, Anderson halved with Laird, Smith lost to Adams 2 holes (1/2-4 1/2)
HOW THEY STAND
Ireland 2 pt, Scotland 1pt, England 1pt, Wales 0.
FINAL THURSDAY MATCHES
8.30 and 1.10pm - Wales v England.
9.00 and 1.50 - Scotland v Ireland.
