England overpower Ireland to win Stroyan Cup for eighth year in a row
England have won the Girls Home Internationals by beating their only challengers, Ireland, 7-2 in the title decider at Lanark Golf Club.
They were the only two teams with 100 per cent winning records after the first two days of the tournament.
It is the eighth year in a row that an English U18s team has won the Stroyan Cup and the 13th time in the past 15 years.
England's winning margin over Ireland in the 2014 internationals was only 5-4 but after England took the morning foursomes 2-1 and started to increase that advantage, the writing was on the wall for the Irish challenge.
Hollie Muse made it 3-1 in England's favour by registering the first win of the afternoon. She beat GB and I Junior Vagliano Trophy team-mate, Annabel Wilson by 6 and 5
losing only one hole.
Muse was in tip-top form with birdies at the secWond, fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 13th.
She won the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and 10th to take a stranglehold on the outcome of the match. Wilson won only the 11th
Ireland's Olivia Mehaffey, who suffered her first loss of the week in the morning foursomes, bounced back with a 5 and 4 win over GB and I Vagliano trophy team-mate Alice Hewson.
Hewson never won a hole as Mehaffey took charge of the proceedings with birdies at the second and fourth as she won the second, third, fourth and seventh holes to go four up.
Another success at the 12th increased the Royal County Down Ladies players' lead to five holes.
Mehaffey was roughly level par or one over when the match ended on the 14th green.
Annabel Bailey increased England's lead to 4-1 with a 6 and 4 win over Julie McCarthy who had started well with winning birdies at the first and second - but she never won another hole after that.
Bailey started her fight back with a winning birdie at the fourth and was two up at the turn, thanks to a winning par at the eighth and a birdie at the ninth.
Further successes at holes 10, 11, 12 and 14 ended the match on the 14th green at which point Bailey was one under par.
The fifth point that ensured an England victory came from Emma Allen, which was appropriate as she was the team's most sucacessful individual with six wins out of six.
She beat Ciara Casey by 4 and 3 but all credit to the Irish player for more than holding her own in the first half of the match. There was only one hole in it - in Allen's favour - after 10 holes.
Allen won the 11th to go two up, and also the 13th and 14th on concess.
Elizabeth Prior chalked up England's sixth point by beating Elisa Corcoran 4 and 3. Prior was two down on the third tee to opening birdies by Corcoran. Prior won the fourth and 10th to square the contest and led for the first time at the 12th.
The England player then settled matters in her favour by winning the 13th, 14th and 15th. She was two over par at the finish.
Sammy Fuller completed England's 7-2 victory by beating another Junior Vagliano Trophy player, Mairead Martin, by 4 and 3.
One down after five, Fuller won the sixth with a birdie, the seventh, the 11th, 13th and 14th
England have won the Girls Home Internationals by beating their only challengers, Ireland, 7-2 in the title decider at Lanark Golf Club.
They were the only two teams with 100 per cent winning records after the first two days of the tournament.
It is the eighth year in a row that an English U18s team has won the Stroyan Cup and the 13th time in the past 15 years.
England's winning margin over Ireland in the 2014 internationals was only 5-4 but after England took the morning foursomes 2-1 and started to increase that advantage, the writing was on the wall for the Irish challenge.
Hollie Muse made it 3-1 in England's favour by registering the first win of the afternoon. She beat GB and I Junior Vagliano Trophy team-mate, Annabel Wilson by 6 and 5
losing only one hole.
Muse was in tip-top form with birdies at the secWond, fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 13th.
She won the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and 10th to take a stranglehold on the outcome of the match. Wilson won only the 11th
Ireland's Olivia Mehaffey, who suffered her first loss of the week in the morning foursomes, bounced back with a 5 and 4 win over GB and I Vagliano trophy team-mate Alice Hewson.
Hewson never won a hole as Mehaffey took charge of the proceedings with birdies at the second and fourth as she won the second, third, fourth and seventh holes to go four up.
Another success at the 12th increased the Royal County Down Ladies players' lead to five holes.
Mehaffey was roughly level par or one over when the match ended on the 14th green.
Annabel Bailey increased England's lead to 4-1 with a 6 and 4 win over Julie McCarthy who had started well with winning birdies at the first and second - but she never won another hole after that.
Bailey started her fight back with a winning birdie at the fourth and was two up at the turn, thanks to a winning par at the eighth and a birdie at the ninth.
Further successes at holes 10, 11, 12 and 14 ended the match on the 14th green at which point Bailey was one under par.
The fifth point that ensured an England victory came from Emma Allen, which was appropriate as she was the team's most sucacessful individual with six wins out of six.
She beat Ciara Casey by 4 and 3 but all credit to the Irish player for more than holding her own in the first half of the match. There was only one hole in it - in Allen's favour - after 10 holes.
Allen won the 11th to go two up, and also the 13th and 14th on concess.
Elizabeth Prior chalked up England's sixth point by beating Elisa Corcoran 4 and 3. Prior was two down on the third tee to opening birdies by Corcoran. Prior won the fourth and 10th to square the contest and led for the first time at the 12th.
The England player then settled matters in her favour by winning the 13th, 14th and 15th. She was two over par at the finish.
Sammy Fuller completed England's 7-2 victory by beating another Junior Vagliano Trophy player, Mairead Martin, by 4 and 3.
One down after five, Fuller won the sixth with a birdie, the seventh, the 11th, 13th and 14th
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 5:53:00 pm
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