Solid play eases Ireland through

THERE wasn't enough sunshine to create lengthening shadows. But late in the day north-easterly winds remained relentlessly bitter as Ireland gained an expected win over the Netherlands in the opening matchplay round of the Men's European Team Championship at Portmarnock.

Though far from pleasant for the players, conditions were even more hostile for the brave spectators. Could this really be June? Only Ireland's top player, Keith Nolan, seemed to think so as he battled to a singles win, clad in a short-sleeved shirt - "I hate the restriction of a sweater on my arms."

Perhaps it was the glow of a 6-1 Irish triumph that did it, but Noel Fox considered it quite a stirring day's golf. "I thought conditions were fine," he said after a highly impressive 3 and 2 win over Rutger Buschow at number three in the singles order. Admittedly, the wind speed had abated by that stage from early gusts of 50 m.p.h. to a moderate 20 m.p.h.

In the event, Ireland won through to a semi-final meeting with Spain today, while Scotland will play Sweden. And skipper Mick Craddock has called Jody Fanagan into the side as a partner for Fox in the top foursomes, to the exclusion of the unsuccessful pairing of Nolan and Garth McGimpsey.

Not surprisingly, the order that delivered a clean sweep of the afternoon's singles has been retained. But the Spaniards have named Oscar Sanchez at the top of the singles order instead of their star player, 17-year-old Sergio Garcia. He will be meeting the reigning Irish champion, Peter Lawrie.

The Dutch showed themselves to be competent performers, particularly on the greens. Their only win, however, was in the morning foursomes against Nolan and McGimpsey. And it had more to do with decidedly moderate Irish play than Dutch brilliance, particularly on the homeward journey.

There were no surprises in the top flight, though the admirable lcelanders battled stubbornly before Scotland cruised to a decisive win by 5 1/2 to 1 1/2. One Scottish wag was heard to remark: "They must have a few useful geysers in their side.

But there was a surprising-struggle for Walker Cup player Barclay Howard, who was the only member of his side to be taken to the 18th - and then for a half.

For their part, the Irish set about the singles task with a fine sense of purpose. Indeed, there seemed little doubt about the eventual outcome, even before the turn was reached.

The only cause for concern was the performance of Nolan who has struggled somewhat since his glorious 70 last Wednesday. Granted, he won his match with a solid par on the 18th, but, by his own admission, he was fighting his swing in the wind. "The only good thing is that I began to swing better towards the end of the round," he said.

That could be attributed to the abatement in the wind. Either way, Nolan's keen matchplay instincts gave him a crucial win at the long 13th. Bunkered 30 yards short of the green in two, the Bray player had to go down on his knees for a brilliant recovery to the back of the green, from where he made a winning par.

He then went two up at the short 15th, where he chipped and putted for a winning par out of the dreaded valley. And he needed the cushion to offset a surprising loss on the 17th after hitting a "flier" through the back of the green.

Lawrie, meanwhile, displayed much of the composure which characterised his Irish Close triumph at Royal Co Down last August. He drove the ball particularly well against the Dutchman Kraay to be three up at the turn. But the wearing process of course and conditions prolonged the match, even if Lawrie always remained in front.

Given these circumstances, McGimpsey performed heroically for a 5 and 4 win over Van den Berg. The 41-year-old Ulsterman was one under par for the holes played, to out shine his younger colleagues.

Fox got precious little reward from greens that he knows so well. The quality of his approach play was such that he was putting for birdies at every hole on the outward journey. But his only reward came at the fifth, where he sank a five-footer to go two up.

Having turned two up, his lead was cut to one hole at the long 13th. But he recovered strongly to win the next with a conceded birdie, and the short 15th in par.

Coughlan showed himself to be an ideal player for the anchor position. The experience of top-level college golf with Clemson in the US was evident in his general command of the match against Rodenburg, particularly in his execution of precise iron shots. A typical example was a six-iron third shot of 170 yards into the wind at the long sixth to set up a winning par.