IRELAND suffered more disappointment in the European Youth Team Golf Championships in Madeira yesterday. Having failed to qualify for the top flight, the defending champions were beaten 3-2 by Switzerland in their opening second-flight match.
It means that Ireland can now finish 13th at best, and they complete their programme with a match against Wales today.
At one stage yesterday Ireland looked to be well on course for victory as they were comfortably ahead in three of the five matches at the turn.
Andrew McCormack and Sean Quinlivan both went on to close out victories, but in the bottom match Peter Martin let a commanding lead slip.
Three up after 11 holes, Martin found himself one down after 16 against Alain Krapl.
Although he levelled the match at the short 17th and halved the 18th, Martin hit a wayward drive into the bunker at the first extra hole, and the Swiss player completed an unlikely victory.
Earlier, Rory Leonard had gone down in the third singles while Padraig Dooley and Nigel Howley lost eight of the first nine holes and suffered a heavy defeat in the foursomes.
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