WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - Ayrshire retain Youths League title

Ayrshire retained the West of Scotland Inter County Youths league title on Sunday the 13th of October 2024, when the fifth and final series of fixtures of the competition were completed for this season.

Despite having three away matches this year and just two home ties, the Ayrshire team visited league leaders Lanarkshire at east Kilbride, knowing that only a match victory would allow them to overtalke their hosts and retain the title they won in 2023, and in the event the Ayrshire side stepped up to the mark and maintained their unbeaten record for the season with a 5.5 - 2.5 victory on the day to secure the title and complete a notable double for the county teams after the Under 18team success in the West of Scotland Under 18 Boys league earlier in the season.

Match details (Lanarkshire names first):-

Luke Robertson (East Kilbride) lost to Harvey McDonald (Turnberry) by 472

Scott Thomson (Drumpellier) halved with Dylan Cairns (Prestwick St Nicholas)

Rudy Brown (Torrance House) lost to Scott Newman (West Kilbride) by 473

Ally Riddell (Lanark) halved with Jamie Robertson (Loudoun)

Patrick Boyle (Hamilton) lost to Liam Moran (Irvine) by 7&6

Cameron meldrum (East Kilbride) beat Sam Crozier (West Kilbride) by 5&3

Fraser Steven (Hamilton) halved with Rob Yorston (Loudoun) 

Ben Paterson (Belshill) lost to Ryan Kennedy (Irvine) by 1 hole 

LANARKSHIRE YOUTHS  2.5    AYRSHIRE YOUTHS  5.5

Glasgow secured third place in the table with a 4 - 4 draw away to Sirlingshire at Dunblane New GC in their final fixturte of the campaign.

Match details (Stirlingshire names first):-

Liam McKinnon (Glenbervie) beat Blair Stewart (Cowglen) by 1 hole

Lewis Clark (Stirling) beat Chris McMillan (Dougalston) by 7&6

Bryce Clark (Stirling) beat Sean Falconer (Cowglen) by 2&1

Jordan Anderson (Falkirk Tryst) lost to John Hamilton (Cathkin Braes) by 2&1

Isaac King (Dunblane New) lost to Bobby Gray (Haggs Castle) by 2 holes

Liam Graham (Falkirk) lost to Philip Devine (Cowglen) by 1 hole

Luke McInulty (Stirling) beat Rory Bogle (Cowglen) by 1 hole

Jonathan McKendry (Falkirk) beat Joe Lynch (Ralston) by 7&6

STIRLINGSHIRE YOUTHS   4   GLASGOW YOUTHS   4

In the other match in the final series, Dumbartonshire had a 5.5 - 2.5 home win over Renfrewshire at Hilton park.

Match details (Dumbartonshire names first):-

Max McCluskey (Lenzie) lost to Drew Cleaver (Fereneze) by 1 hole

Grant Wilson (Balmore) beat Ewan Urquhart (paisley) by 2 holes

Jack Clark (Dullatur) lost to Kenan Ingram (Greenock) by 2&1

Sam Somerville (Bearsden) beat Callum McLelland (Fereneze) by 3&2

Stewart Forres (Lenzie) beat Ben Love (Old ranfurly) by 1 hole

Cameron Pike (Lenzie) beat Chris James (Whitecraigs) by 4&3

David Gilmour (Cardross) halved with calum Graham (Erskine) 

David Hood (Cardross) beat Lewis Greenlees (Paisley) by 6&5

DUMBARTONSHIRE YOUTHS   5.5   RENFREWSHIRE YOUTHS   2.5

The final placings in the 2024 West of Scotland Inter County Youth league are:- 

Area	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
AYRSHIRE	5	4	1	0	25.5	14.5	+11	18
LANARKSHIRE	5	4	0	1	26.5	13.5	+13	16
GLASGOW	5	1	2	2	17	22	-5	8
DUMBARTONSHIRE	5	2	0	3	16.5	23.5	-7	8
STIRLINGSHIRE	5	1	1	3	16.5	23.5	-7	6
RENFREWSHIRE	5	1	0	4	18	22	-4	4

 

In the corresponding A league matches, Ayrshire recorded a final match victory over Lanarkshire at Ayr Seafield by 4 - 2, leaving them in third place in the table behind Lanarkshire and the 2024 A League champions Stirlingshire, who took the title for the first time in 29 years, since their last title victory in 1995.

The details of the Ayrshire match are (Ayrshire names first):-

Scott Brown (Prestwick St Cuthbert) halved with Lewis irvine (Kirkhill)

John Haggarty (Loudoun) beat Kieran McVicar (East Kilbride) by 6&4

Gavin Chesney (Kilbirnie Place) halved with Greg Andrews (East Kilbride)

Steven Stamper (Turnberry) beat Gregg Watson (Hamilton) 6&5

Blair Morton (Royal Troon) & Harvey Broadfoot (Troon Welbeck) beat Ciaron Reilly (Easter Moffat) & Andy Steven (Easter Moffat) by 5&3

Graeme Gimson (Prestwick St Cuthbert) & Alan McLean (Largs) lost to David fair (Hamilton) & Nathan Wharton (Larkhall) by 2&1

AYRSHIRE A   4  LANARKSHIRE A   2

Stirlingshire went into their final fixture away to Glasgow at Cawder knowing that a win would secure their first title in alsmost 30 years, and in the event they did not slip up, winning the match by 4.5 - 1.5 to secure the title win.

Match details (Glasgow names first):-

Neil MacRae (Glasgow) halved with Stuart Murray (Falkirk)

Clark Nelson (Glasgow) beat Alex Marshall (Grangemouth) by 3&2

Josh White (Bishopbriggs) lost to Ross Laird (Glenbervie) by 4&3

Alan Craig (Glasgow) lost to George Cannon (Glenbervie) by 4&2

Blair Dalgleish (Ralston) & Fraser Grant (Ralston) lost to Mark Hyslop (Glenbervie) & James Donaldson (Stirling) by 2&1

Gordon Sangster (Cathkin Braes) & John Laurie (Glasgow) lost to Ed Shannly (Stirling) & Greg McLellan (Stirling) by 6&5  

GLASGOW A   1.5   STIRLINGSHIRE  A   4.5

In the remaining match in week 5, renfreshire secured a 5.5 - 0.5 home win over Dumbartonshire at Cochrane Castle.

Match details (Renfrewshire names first):-

Paul Dorrian (Greenock) beat Craig Bissett (Dumbarton) by 2&1

Stewart Watt (Old Ranfurly) beat Chris Clark (Bearsden) by 7&6

Michael Daily (Erskine) beat james McKechnie (Carrick) by 3&2

Alexander Ferguson (Paisley) halved with David Lindsay (Lenzie)

Ryan McKenzie (Erskine) & Ryan Brown  (Kilmacolm) beat Mark McLachy (Clydebank & Duistrict) & Kevin Logan (Clydebank & District) by 4&3

David Miller (Fereneze) & Ethan lang (Elderslie) beat Cairn Smith (Clober) & David Wylie (Lenzie) by 3&2

RENFREWSHIRE A   5.5   DUMBARTONSHIRE A   0.5

The final placings in the 2024 West of Scotland A league are:-

Area	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
STIRLINGSHIRE	5	4	0	1	20	10	+10	16
LANARKSHIRE	5	3	0	2	17	13	+4	12
AYRSHIRE	5	3	0	2	15	15	0	12
RENFREWSHIRE	5	2	0	3	14.5	15.5	-1	8
GLASGOW	5	2	0	3	13	16	-3	8
DUMBARTONSHIRE	5	1	0	4	10.5	19.5	-9	4