Scotland made a great start to the Women’s Home internationals with a come-from-behind victory over Ireland at Irvine Golf Club.

The home team lost the foursomes 1-2, but hit back to win four of the six singles for a 5-4 victory and keep alive Captain Lesley Nicholson’s dream of a first win since Aberdovey in 1991. 

In the other match, defending champions Wales scored a decisive 7-2 win over England. 

In the singles, 17-year-old Carly Booth gave Scotland a terrific boost with a 2 and 1 win over Danielle McVeigh in the top match and the next three matches – Pamela Pretswell, Kelsey MacDonald and Kylie Walker – all went Scotland’s way to secure the vital victory.

It meant that defeats for Laura Murray and Louise Kenney were just consolation points for the Irish.   

Scotland now meet England with the prospect of a decider against Wales on Friday.
First day results:

SCOTLAND 5 IRELAND 4

Foursomes

Kelsey MacDonald & Carly Booth lost to Danielle McVeigh & Charlene Reid 3 and 2.

Louise Kenney & Pamela Pretswell bt Gillian O’Leary & Victoria Bradshaw 4 and 3.

Kylie Walker & Megan Briggs lost to Mary Dowling & Sarah Cunningham 5 and 4.

Singles

Booth bt McVeigh 2 and 1.

Pretswell bt Murphy 1 hole.

MacDonald bt Dowling 3 and 2.

Walker bt Niamh Kitching 3 and 2.

Laura Murray lost to O’Leary 3 and 2.

Kenney lost to Reid 3 and 1.

Day 1 results

ENGLAND 2 WALES 7

Foursomes:

Charlie Douglass & Holly Clyburn bt Lucy Gould & Sam Birkes 1 hole.

Charlotte Wild & Hannah Barwood lost to Rhian Wyn Thomas & Gemma Bradbury 2 holes.

Rachel Jennings & Kelly Tidy lost to Tara Davies & Amy Boulden 3 and 2.

Singles:

Douglass bt Davies 2 holes.

Barwood lost to Thomas 3 and 2.

Clyburn lost to Gemma Bradbury 3 and 1.

Charlotte Ellis lost to Katie Bradbury 2 holes.

Tidy lost to Boulden 4 and 3.

Nikki Foster lost to Gould 8 and 7.

--

Image courtesy of Colin Farquharson