WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS:IRELAND SUFFERED a shock defeat by Wales in the four-cornered women's home international series at Hillside on the Lancashire coast yesterday to severely dent their chances of a first title since 2004.

They were up against it after losing the foursomes 2-1 and although Lisa Maguire, the 16-year-old European champion from Slieve Russell, won a stirring singles tussle at the top of the order pipping Amy Boulden, a British championship semi-finallist earlier this year, the odds were always stacked against them.

Maguire won the closing hole to take the honours and give Ireland heart but there was not much joy after that and they crashed 6-3.

This result hands the advantage to England, who overcame Scotland also by a 6-3 margin. Only a big win over the English today can secure them the crown and the prestigious TH Miller Cup.

Both Louise Coffey, the Ulster champion, and Charlene Reid were involved in ding-dong struggles with Katie Bradbury and Chloe Williams respectively but in the end both slipped to tense one-hole reverses.

Chloe Ryan’s 3 and 1 defeat by Katherine O’Connor ended Irish hopes and at the bottom of the order Emma O’Driscoll was trounced 5 and 4 by Welsh champion Becky Harries.

Only Cork’s Gillian O’Leary lifted the gloom somewhat with a last-green win over Lucy Gould.

Results(Ireland names first) – Foursomes: L Coffey and K Delaney lost to A Boulden and B Harries 2 and 1; C Reid and G O'Leary beat C Williams and K Bradbury 2 and 1; Lisa Maguire and P Grant lost to K O'Connor and L Gould 2 and 1. Foursomes– Ireland 1 Wales 2.

Singles: Maguire beat Boulden one hole; Coffey lost to Bradbury one hole; Reid lost to Williams one hole; C Ryan lost K O'Connor 3 and 1; OLeary beat Gould one hole; E ODriscoll lost to Harries 5 and 4, Singles: Ireland 2 Wales 4.

Match Result: Ireland 3 Wales 6.

Other Result: England 6 Scotland 3.