Resurgent Wales stun Ireland on day two in Rosslare

Wales overcame an overnight deficit to defeat Ireland 11-9 in their under-18 boys’ international at Rosslare.

Trailing 4.5-3.5 from day one, Wales triumphed 2.5-15 in the foursomes before taking the singles 5-3 to complete a thrilling comeback and re-capture the crown Ireland had carried home from Cardigan last year.

Wales were victorious in two of the four foursomes matches. The Vale of Glamorgan’s Tim Harry and American-based Charlie Spencer-White combined to beat Sean Flanagan and Matthew Kane by one hole, and Otto Mand (Greenmeadow) and Llanwern’s Jack Davidson triumphed 4&2 over David Byrne and Rowan Lester.

Thomas Williams (Wrexham) and Jake Darlington (Celtic Manor) halved with David Carey and Ronan Mullarney, while Ridgeway’s Alex Matthews and Mountain Ash’s Rhys Jones lost to Jack Walsh and Niall Foley by one hole.

It was the afternoon’s singles play where Wales really shone, despite a late Irish fightback giving the final score a more respectable look.

Spencer-White, Mand, Darlington and Williams were all comfortable victors, with Spencer-White and Mand handing 3&2 defeats to Kane and Foley respectively.

Darlington defeated Carey 2&1, while Williams overcame Mullarney by the same scoreline.

Harry and Davidson halved their matches against Flanagan and Walsh respectively, before the Irish fightback came through Byrne and Lester.

Byrne produced the display of the day, trouncing Matthews, who didn’t have the best of times on day two, by 6&5 in the penultimate match, and Lester triumphed over Rhys Jones in the final encounter. But by that point Wales had already secured the win.