Bitter disappointment was written over the faces of the Irish men's team as England held on to the Raymond Trophy for the seventh consecutive year in the Home Internationals at Royal County Down yesterday.

The Irish pushed the holders to the wire with the last two matches on the course deciding the honours. Ireland took the morning foursomes 3-2 and looked good for a time to win the five singles needed to recapture the trophy for the first time since 1992.

However, only Paddy Gribben and Garth McGimpsey carved out singles wins. Gribben hammered Gary Wolstenholme 4 and 3, making five birdies, while McGimpsey, in his 21st international year, beat Mark Side 5 and 3. That was where the glory ended although Noel Fox, Andrew McCormick and Adrian Morrow snatched half matches.

Fox was unlucky to lose his one hole advantage to an 18th hole birdie by Ben Mason while Morrow, in the anchor role, won the 18th but it was too little, too late. "This is my third year in the team with the same result each time. I'm very disappointed and I feel for Mick Craddock who completes his three-year term now. We lost on a countback in `97 at Burnham & Barrow and by one point last year at Royal Portcawl," reflected Gribben.

The comeback of the week was surely in the foursomes where Paddy Gribben and Andrew McCormick came from four down after five holes to Gary Wolstenholme and Aran Wainwright to win 3 and 1. The comeback began at the eighth hole which they birdied - eventually covering the six holes from there in four-under-par as McCormick rolled home a 15-footer on the ninth green and Gribben got down from 30 feet at the 13th.

They also won the 15th in par and were conceded another birdie at the 17th. Garth McGimpsey and Noel Fox set the scene with a 3 and 2 win.