Lester and Gleeson help Ireland make it four in a row
A 7.5 to 7.5 draw with England in their final match at Moortown was enough to see Ireland make it four consecutive Men’s Home International titles in succession – the first time they have achieved such a feat.
Among the victorious team in green, which was captained by Lucan’s Tony Goode, were Castle Golf Club’s Alex Gleeson and Hermitage Golf Club’s Rowan Lester.
The Lucan-based golfer has been in top form of late, having recently captured the North of Ireland Amateur Open.
The first match for the reigning champions saw them surmount the challenge of Wales.
In the singles events, Gleeson beat Owen Edwards 3&2, while Lester saw off Joshua Davies by just one hole, as the Irish claimed a 9-6 win.
Next up was the challenge of Scotland and, in the singles, Gleeson was beaten 5&3 by Ryan Lumsden, while Lester came out on top against Euan Walker 3&2.
It set them up for a decisive match against the home nation and, in the opening foursomes, Glee-son paired with Conor Purcell of Portmarnock, but lost 4&2 to Josh Hill-eard and Will Whiteoak.
In the singles the Castle man halved his match against Todd Clements, but Lester suffered his first and only defeat of the tournament also, losing to Josh Hilleard by a score of 2&1.
Delighted with the success of his team, Goode, who has now led Ireland to three Home International titles, said “I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved.
“It’s fantastic for Irish amateur golf. The success is a testament to the com-mitment and dedication of the players.
“These guys have set a benchmark for Irish amateur golf and that’s very important. They’re giving the younger boys something to aspire to.”
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