A week that started so promisingly for Ireland in the European Boys' Team Championship over Poland's Amber Baltic course continued to go downhill yesterday when they slipped to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Wales.

In the first qualifying round on Tuesday Ireland actually led the charge of the home nations, but on day two they faltered and narrowly failed to make it into the top flight.

They then found themselves victims of a major upset when they crashed to Iceland, and then came the Wales defeat.

Their foursomes pairing of Co Sligo's Martin McTernan and Ballinasloe's Michael McHugh were well and truly put in their places by Lewis James and Stuart Clarke, going under by 7 and 6, and when Royal Dublin's Robert McCarthy and Portmarnock's Aengus McAlister slipped to defeats, Irish hopes of a pride-salvaging exercise were gone.

The only Irish points came from Muskerry's Nial Turner and Tramore's Clancy Bowe.

Ireland were not alone among home countries to lose their matches yesterday, as England, playing in the semi-finals, were ousted by Switzerland in a big upset. Kenny Perry shot an eight-under-par 63 yesterday to add to his 66 on Thursdayand holds a three stroke lead after two rounds of the Greater Milwaukee open. Chris Smith, who shot a second-round 66 for a 132 total, lies one shot ahead of Brent Geiberger, Craig Spence and Shigeki Maruyama.

Ireland's Richie Coughlan shot a one-under par 70 for a total of 139 to make the cut.