WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - Mixed fortunes in final fixtures for Ayrshire teams

The Ayrshire A team completed their final fixture in the 2019 West of Scotland Inter County League on Sunday 20^th October, beating Stirlingshire 6 – 2 at Prestwick St Cuthbert.

Ayrshire held slim hopes of the title going into their final fixture, needing a 6.5 – 1.5 win or better to have any chance of taking the title, but Stirlingshire were in pole position going into the match, looking for their first win in the West League since 1995.

Ayrshire started well, taking 2.5 points from the opening three ties before suffering their first loss of a tie with William Fleming’s defeat by 2&1.

The home side took the last three ties comfortably, leaving the match standing at 5.5 – 1.5 with only Barry O’Rourke’s tie still on course.

The final tie to be decided went all the way to the last hole where O’Rourke held a one hole lead as they approached the final green.

With O’Rourke lying six feet from the hole with a chance of a birdie, it looked good for an Ayrshire win in the tie but in a crushing blow to the home side his opponent holed a chip shot over a greenside bunker to win the hole and half the tie which, more importantly for both sides, left Stirlingshire just ahead of Ayrshire in the title chase.

Match details (Ayrshire names first):-

Steven Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert) beat Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) by 2&1

Scott Brown (Prestwick St Cuthbert) halved with James Donaldson (Stirling)

Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) beat Greig McLelland (Stirling) by 2&1

William Fleming (Ballochmyle) lost to Mark Hyslop (Glenbervie) by 2&1

Barry O’Rourke (Louodun) halved with Colin Mundie (Glenbervie)

Darren Mallinson (Irvine) beat Ross Kane (Glenbervie) by 3&2

Craig Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert) beat) Tommy Morrison (Kilsyth) by 4&3

John Shanks (Irvine) beat Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) by 3&2

AYRSHIRE A    6   STIRLINGSHIRE A   2

Ayrshire will finish mid table in the West League this year, the present positions being:-

Position   Area                           P     W    L    D    F        A         Pts

1              Renfrewshire A         4     3      1     0    20.5   11.5      6

2              Stirlingshire A           5     3      2     0    21      19         6

3              Ayrshire A                 5     2      1     2    20.5   19.5      6

4              Lanarkshire A           4     1      1     2    16     16          4

5              Glasgow A                 5     2      3     0    18.5  21.5       4

6              Dumbartonshire A   5     0      3     2    15.5  24.5       2

One final postponed match remains to be played in this year’s A League, with Renfrewshire hosting Lanarkshire at paisley on Sunday 27^th October. Only win by Lanarkshire by 6 .5 – 1.5 or better would prevent Renfrewshire retaining the title this year.

In the corresponding youths league match, played at Tulliallan GC, Ayrshire went down by 6 – 2 to their Stirlingshire hosts.

Despite being awarded a point after the home side were reduced to seven players after a late call off only Greg Cathie & Aiden Long, with half points each, added to the Ayrshire total.

Match details (Ayrshire names first):-

Shaun Hedger (West Kilbride) lost to Stuart irving (Falkirk) by 7&6

Sandy Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) lost to Thomas Craig (Falkikrk) by 3&2

Greg Cathie (Irvine) halved with Grank Kirkwood (Falkirk)

Rob Yorston (Loudoun) lost to Callum beauchop (Glenbervie) by 574

Ross McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) lost to Sebastian Sandin (Dunblane new) by 5&4

Aiden Long (Ayr Belleisle) halved with Drew Cummings (Grangemouth)

Ross Caddis (Kilmanrock Barassie) lost to Fraser Gardiner (Grangemouth) by 6&5

Daryll Lynch (Ayr Belleisle) W/O Peter Maxwell (Glenbervie) Scr.

AYRSHIRE Y   2    STIRLINGSHIRE Y  6

Ayrshire finished in third place overall in the Youth League this year, with Dumbartonshire winning all five fixtures to take the title for the third time in four years.

The positions after the matches this week are:-

Position   Area                         P    W    L    D    F        A        Pts

1              Dumbartonshire Y   5     5     0    0    24.5    15.5    10

2              Stirlingshire Y          5     4     1    0    23.5    16.5     8

3              Ayrshire Y                5     3     2    0    17       23        6

4              Lanarkshire Y         5    2      3    0   21.5    18.5      4

5              Glasgow Y                4    0      4    0   10.5    21.5      0

6              Renfrewshire Y        4    0      4    0   13      19          0

WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - A team draw and Youths beat Lanarkshire in penultimate fixtures

The Ayrshire A team fought out a 4 – 4 draw with Lanarkshire at Strathaven on Sunday 13^th October 2019, in their penultimate fixture in this years West of Scotland inter county league matches.

The Ayrshire team lost four of the first five ties, with only Scott Brown securing a win, but the last three Ayrshire players all secured victories to tie the match overall.

Match details (Lanarkshire names first):-

  

Dominic Dougan (Airdire) beat Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) by 3&2

Alan Laird (Strathaven) beat Stuart Easton (Irvine) by 2 holes

Graeme Rodger (Hamilton) lost to Scott Brown (Prestwick St Cuthbert) by 6&5

Willie Steele (Lanark) beat Stuart Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) by 6&4

Garry McLetchie (Lanark) beat William Fleming (Ballochmyle) by 1 hole

Kieran McVicar East Kilbride) lost to Tommy McInally (Loudoun) by 4&3

Tommy Boyd (Bothwell Castle) lost to Barry O’Rourke (Louodun) by 3&2

Callum Connacher (Wishaw) lost to Steven Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert) by 2&1

LANARKSHIRE A   4   AYRSHIRE  A   4

In the corresponding youths match at Troon Darley, a late call off saw Lanarkshire concede one of the eight ties to Ayrshire, with Sandy Walker being awarded a win.

Further wins from Greg Telfer in the lead tie, along with Greg Cathie and Ross Caddis, and a crucial half point won by Rob Yorston saw Ayrshire win the match 4.5 – 3.5 overall.

Match details (Ayrshire names first):-

Greg Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert) beat Scott Thomson (Drumpellier) by 2 holes

Aiden Long (Ayr Belleisle) lost to Mitchell Ronald (East Kilbride) by 1 hole

Stewart Russell (Royal Troon) lost to Alan Woodhouse (East Kilbride) by 2&1

Sandy Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) w/o Lanarkshire Scr.

Rob Yorston (Loudoun) halved with David Fail (Hamilton)

Greg Cathie (Irvine) beat Greg Andrews (East Kilbride) by 3&2

Ross Caddis (Kilmarnock Barassie) beat Cameron Boomer (East Kilbride) by 1 hole

Darryl Lynch (Ayr Belleisle) lost to Ross McDonald (East Kilbride) by 2 holes

AYRSHIRE YOUTHS  4.5   LANARKSHIRE YOUTHS    3.5

The teams play their final matches in the series on Sunday 20^th October which are the rearranged contests against Stirlingshire which were postponed on Sunday 6^th October.

The Youths will travel to Tulliallan GC in their final fixture whilst the A team will be at home to

Stirlinghsire at Prestwick St Cuthbert GC, in a change of venue from the original postponed match.

WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - Both Ayrshire matches postponed in week 4

Both the Ayrshire A and Ayrshire Youths matches against Stirlingshire, scheduled to take place on Sunday 6th October have been postponed.

Heavy overnight rain throughout the country, which has seen the cancellation of many other golf fixtures, saw the A team match at Kilmarnock (Barassie) GC and the Youths match at Tulliallan GC being postponed due to course closures.

The youths match has been rescheduled for the same venue, Tulliallan GC, on Sunday 20th October and the venue for the resceduled A team match, on the same date, has still to be confirmed.