Heather Nolan from Shannon prevented a day of total disaster for Ireland in the girls' home internationals at Dundee yesterday. Nolan, in the last match to finish, put a brave smile on Irish faces by beating Janet Dwyer by two holes to give skipper Ada O'Sullivan's squad their only point in a 8-1 whipping by Wales.
Ireland, a little unlucky to lose by as much as 7-2 to Scotland on the opening day, had no excuses for an even bigger defeat. With the scoreline reading 7-0 Nolan came through with colours flying to banish thoughts of a humiliating whitewash at the hands of last year's champions. One up at the turn, Nolan kept her nose in front, coming through a crisis at the 17th where she drove into a ditch but managed to halve the hole. Down the 18th, Nolan closed the door with a solid par four.
Irish girls' champion Martina Gillen from Beaverstown lost on the last green to the twice Welsh girls' champion Kate Phillips from Cardiff, a quarter-finalist in the British girls' championship.
It does not get any easier for the Irish. They complete their programme against the rampant English who beat Scotland 6-3 yesterday. Scotland 3, England 6 - Foursomes: L Kenney, L Wells lost to O Briggs, D Masters 2 and 1; F Gilbert, L Walker lost to S Lovell, S Walker 3 and 1; P Feggans, L Ruane lost to R Bell, A Cook 4 and 2. Foursomes result: Scotland 0 England 3. Singles: Wells halved with S Walker; Kenney bt Briggs 1 hole; Gilbert halved with R Wood; L Walker bt Cook 5 and 4; H MacRae lost to Masters 4 and 3; Feggans lost to Bell 3 and 2. Singles result: Scotland 3 England 3.
Ireland 1, Wales 8 - Foursomes: M Gillen, M Dunne lost to K Phillips, J Pritchard 3 and 2; M Holmes, S Gallagher lost to S Evans, S Jones 2 and 1; S Hayes, H Nolan lost to A Highgate, K Walls 5 and 3. Foursomes result: Ireland 0 Wales 3. Singles - Gillen lost to Phillips 1 hole; Dunne lost to Highgate 7 and 5; Gallagher lost to Pritchard 4 and 3; N Mullooly lost to Walls 8 and 6; Hayes lost to Evans 2 holes; Nolan bt J Dyer 2 holes. Singles result: Ireland 1 Wales 5.
