UNDER 18 LEAGUE - Ayrshire defeat Stirlingshire to maintain title hopes

On Sunday 7th September, the Ayrshire Under 18 team completed their fixtures in the 2014 West Of Scotland Inter County Under 18 league with a resounding 6.5 - 1.5 over their visitors Stirlingshire at Brunston Castle GC, and in doing so kept their hopes alive of still snatching the title this year from Dumbartonshire or Lanarkshire.

The winning Ayrshire Under 18 team at Brunston Castle against Stirlingshire on Sunday 7th September

Campbell Mathieson (Troon Welbeck) led off the Ayrshire side and gained a half match with max Miller (Falkirk Tryst) in what proved to be a very close tie with never more than opne hole in it.

Ayrshire took the next two under 16 ties, newcomer Euan Ferguson (Turnberry) wining his second successive game since being introduced to the county side and Andrew Gordon (Ayr Belleisle) securing a 2 & 1 win after being four ahead earlier in the match.

Craig Jackman (Dunblane New) reduced the deficit for Strilingshire with a 3 & 2 win over Blair Fleming (Troon Welbeck) to give a score of 2.5 - 1.5 to Ayrshire over the four under 16 ties.

The Ayrshire under 18 players rose to the challenge, winning four from four ties to give the home side victory by a very significant margin.

Craig McKenzie (Troon Welbeck) edged home by two holes against Jamie Hunter (Falkirk Tryst) and the match win was secured by Ross McDonald (Irvine) with a 2 & 1 win over Fraser laird (Glenbervie), which was just reward for his commitment to the county team on the day.

Jack Purdie (Largs) was always ahead en route to his 3 & 2 win and Murray McCrone (Troon Welbeck) rounded off a very good day for the Ayrshire side with a narrow one hole win over james Yarnell (Glenbervie), getting up and down at the seventeenth for a winning par and finishing off the tie with a par putt from six feet at the last.

Match details (Ayrshire names first) :-

Campbell Mathieson (Troon Welbeck) halved with max Miller (Falkirk Tryst)
Ewan Ferguson (Turnberry) beat Tyler Morgan (Falkirk) by 3 & 1
Andrew Gordon (Ayr Belleisle) beat Thomas Craig (Falkirk) by 3 & 2
Blair Fleming (Troon Welbeck) lost to Craig Jackman (Dunblane New) by 3 & 2
Craig McKenzie (Troon Welbeck) beat Jamie Hunter (Falkirk Tryst) by 1 hole
Ross McDonald (Irvine) beat Fraser Laird (Glenbervie) by 2 & 1
Jack Purdie (Largs) beat Callum Bauchop (Glenbervie) by 3 & 2
Murray McCrone (Troon Welbeck) beat James Yarnell (Glenbervie) by 1 hole

AYRSHIRE   6.5   STIRLINGSHIRE  1.5

The result leaves Ayrshire joint top of the table with Dumbartonshire, on the same points and tie difference.

Dumbartonshire's last match of the season is on Sunday 14th September away to Glasgow at Ralston, and the Dumbartonshire side only need a draw to ensure the title, although defeat would see them lose out to Ayrshire.

If Dumbartonshire are defeated in their final match, Lanarkshire could also still retain the title they won in 2013, if they win their remaining match, also being played on Sunday 14th September, away to Renfrewshire at Greenock.

Present positions in the league are :-

COUNTY	P	W	D	L	F	A	Dif	Pts
AYRSHIRE	5	3	1	1	23.5	16.5	+7	7
DUMBARTONSHIRE	4	3	1	0	19.5	12.5	+7	7
LANARKSHIRE	4	2	1	1	17.5	14.5	+3	5
STIRLINGSHIRE	6	2	0	3	19.5	20.5	-1	4
RENFREWSHIRE	4	1	1	2	16	16	0	3
GLASGOW	4	0	0	4	8	24	-16	0