WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - Boys team win but lose out on title bid, on day of mixed fortunes for Ayrshire teams

The Ayrshire Boys team won their final match in the 2021 West of Scotland Inter County league for the Wishart trophy by 4.5 – 3.5 on Sunday the 19^th of September, away to Dumbartonshire at Clydebank & District GC, but, although unbeaten throughout the five match campaign, the team narrowly failed to retain the title that they won in 2018 and 2019 when they lost out to their hosts on the overall tie countback after the two teams were tied on points at the top of the league table.

The Ayrshire team knew that they needed to win their final match of the season by 6 – 2 or better to overturn Dumbartonshire’s tie advantage over all five league fixtures and, despite the result of the match and margin of victory for Ayrshire being in doubt until the closing few holes, it was the Dumbatonshire team that secured sufficient ties to ensure their first league title since 2014.

Despite losing the first two under 16 ties, Ayrshire still retained holes of overall victory by the required margin as the Ayrshire players were ahead in all the remaining ties on the course at that stage, except one, but ultimately a couple of brave performances over the closing holes by the Dumbartonshire team to secure a crucial half point and a final green win were enough to get them over the line in their championship bid.

Match details (Dumbartonshire names first):-

Sam Somerville (Windyhill) beat Rory Inglis (Royal Troon) by 1 hole

Fergus Allan (Windyhill) beat Ryan Kennedy (Irvine) by 3 & 2

Anthony Sheridan (Windyhill) halved with Jack Broadfoot (Troon Welbeck)

Chris Clark (Windyhill) lost to Dylan Cairns (Prestwick St Nicholas) by 1 hole

Stewart Forrest (Lenzie) lost to Jack Allan (Ballochmyle) by 3 & 2

Callum Rutherford (Clober) lost to Kerr Brooks (Loudoun) by 4 & 3

Jamie McQuillan (Dullatur) beat Max Barclay (Ayr Belleisle) by 1 hole

Jack Clark (Dullatur) lost to Harvey Broadfoot (Troon Welbeck) by 6 & 5

 

DUMBARTONSHIRE  3.5   AYRSHIRE   4.5

 

Sunday the 19^th of September also saw the start of the five week fixtures in the West of Scotland Inter County Youths and A team leagues, which provided mixed fortunes for the Ayrshire teams.

The Youths team were at home to Glasgow on week one, but slipped to a 5 – 3 defeat at Largs.

Match details (Ayrshire names first):-

Shaun Hedger (West Kilbride lost to Charlie Greaves (Glasgow) by 2 & 1

Ross Caddis (Kilmarnock Barassie) beat A. MacNally (Pollok) by 6 & 4

Aiden Long (Ayr Belleisle) halved with M. Hughes (Ralston)

Stewart Russell (Royal Troon) lost to B Gray (Haggs Castle) by 1 hole

Harvey McDonald (Ayr Belleisle) lost to T. Rankin (Haggs castle) by 3 & 1

Callum Irvine (Ayr Belleisle) lost to A. Forbes (Haggs Castle) by 4 & 3

Scott Wilson (Kilmarnock Barassie) halved with J. Lynch (Ralston)

Jack Thomas (Irvine) beat T Dunn (Cowglen) by 3 & 2

 

AYRSHIRE  YOUTHS  3   GLASGOW  YOUTHS  5

In the other youth matches played on week 1, Renfrewshire beat Stirlingshire by 4.5 - 3.5 and Dumbartonshire beat Lanarkshire, at Hilton Park, by the same margin. 

In the corresponding A Team match, played at Glasgow Gailes, Ayrshire ran out comfortable winners by 6.5 – 1.5, with both team debutants Daniel Forbes (Irvine) and Adam Sweeney (Prestwick St Cuthbert) recording wins in their first representative outing.

Match details (Glasgow names first) :-

Scott Wearing (Bishopbriggs) lost to John Shanks (Irvine) by 5 & 4

Blair Dalglish (Ralston) lost to Robbie Muir (Kilmarnock Barassie) by 3 & 2

Ryan Woods (Cowglen) lost to Daniel Forbes (Irvine) by 7 & 5

John Laurie (Glasgow) lost to Adam Sweeney (Prestwick St Cuthbert) by 4 & 3

Fraser McNeill (Haggs Castle) lost to Steven Stamper (Turnberry) by 2 & 1

Allan Waugh (Cowglen) halved with Blair Morton (Royal Troon)

Craig Morrison (Haggs Castle) beat Barry O’Rourke (Loudoun) by 3 & 1

Stephen Machin (Cowglen) lost to John Haggarty (Loudoun) by 1 hole

 

GLASGOW  A      1.5    AYRSHIRE  A    6.5

In the other A team fixtures played on week 1, Renfrewshire won by 4.5 - 3.5 away to Stirlingshire and Lanarkshire beat Dumbartonshire 6.5 - 1.5 at Wishaw.

Next Sunday, the 26th of September, the A team entertain Stirlingshire at Irvine Ravenspark whilst the youths team travel to play the corresponding fixture against Stirlingshire youths at Dunblane New GC.