Sport

Home advantage of no help to disappointing Irish

HOME INTERNATIONALS: Perhaps it was fatigue, perhaps it was the weight of expectation

Sat Sept 17 2005 - 01:00

HOME INTERNATIONALS: Perhaps it was fatigue, perhaps it was the weight of expectation. Either way, Ireland simply didn't deliver at the Women's Home Internationals at Dundalk Golf Club this week, writes Paul Gallagher.

The host nation began the week with realistic expectations of securing an unprecedented third title in a row and in doing so win on home soil for the first time in 98 years.

However, that script failed to materialise as Ireland lost for the third and final time to the winners England 5½-3½ yesterday. Ireland coach Dave Kearney echoed the team's disappointment and summed up the performance: "Our team is good enough, but unfortunately we were just not good enough on this particular week."

On a positive personal note, Martina Gillen won both her matches against England. Playing alongside Tricia Mangan they won Ireland's only foursomes game 4 and 3 against Emma Duggleby and Felicity Johnson. Gillen then came from two down with four to play to beat Naomi Edwards on the 18th in her singles tie.

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England topped the table on 17 points with three wins, and Scotland, who were narrowly defeated 5-4 by England, finished second after they beat Wales 6-3. Wales finished third while Ireland captured the Wooden Spoon.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: On a day when others were shooting the lights out, Des Smyth could manage only a one-under-par 71 in the opening round of the Constellation Energy Classic at Hayfields Country Club outside Baltimore, Maryland.

That left Smyth seven shots behind the leader, Bob Gilder, who didn't drop a shot in his eight-under 64.

US TOUR: Americans Chris Smith and Cameron Beckman set the early second-round pace at the 84 Lumber Classic in Farmington, Pennsylvania.

Beckman roared into contention with a seven-under 65 at Mystic Rock Golf Course that featured six birdies on his first nine holes to get to 10-under 134 for the tournament.

CHALLENGE TOUR: Sweden's Per G Nyman overcame some gusting winds to remain in pole position at the Rotterdam International Open, carding a second round of one-under-par 71 to move to eight under and take a two-shot lead from Welshman Kyron Sullivan.

LET TOUR: Mianne Bagger, the first transsexual to compete on the Ladies' European Tour, shrugged off the disappointment of a poor rookie season to make her mark in the first round of the KLM Open. After a day of fierce winds and frequent heavy showers, Bagger was tied for third on two over par.

Going into the final full field tournament of the season, Bagger has made just one cut and earned only £907. She needs a top-three finish to move into the top 90 on the money list and keep her card.

New Zealander Liz McKinnon set the target with a level par 72.