Ireland make sporting history at Wigton Bowling Club in Cumbria as they successfully retain the Men’s Home International Series title for the first ever time in their history.

Ireland won the Men’s Home Internationals for the second year on the spin, and for only the fifth time in the history of the event, in a series which proved to be one of the most exciting in years with all four competing nations still in contention when day three dawned with only four points separating them.

In their opening fixture, the defending champions suffered a blow when they were beaten by 18-4 by Scotland whilst the host nation also opened with an 18-4 win, with Andy Thomson, Ian Bond, Mark Walton and Robert Newman all putting the Welsh to the sword with Robert Weale and Will Thomas responding for the men from the Valleys.

However, on day two, Ireland came to life and inflicted a double defeat on England, winning 20-2 on the greens and triumphing on five of the six rinks with Alan Montgomery, Noel Graham, Neil Booth, Clifford Craig and Jonathan Ross all winning. Ross trailed former world No.1 Andy Thomson 13-0 at one stage before fighting back for a 27-18 victory.

Earlier, Wales had surprised Scotland 18-4 with Jason Greenslade, Robert Weale, Andrew Atwood and David Wilkins all successfully skipping their rinks, with Willie Wood and Colin Mitchell winning for the Scots. That meant as play began on Sunday morning, Ireland were in pole position on 24 points, followed by Scotland and Wales on 22 and England on 20. Bowling’s very own ‘stattos’ were very much in evidence on Saturday evening pointing out the 57 varieties of possible outcomes following the closing sessions.

In the first contest of the final day, England dominated a tame Scotland, winning 20-2 and on five of the six rinks, through skips Andy Thomson, Graham Shadwell, Ian Bond, Mark Walton and Robert Newman, with David Peacock providing scant
consolation for the Scots.

That meant Ireland needed either to win 17-5 on points or 16-6 and by 50 shots, or Wales required a 19-3 victory to claim the title for the first time since 2003.

It proved an exciting affair which the Irish controlled from the midway stage before pulling away to emerge triumphant on five of the six rinks for a 20-2 points advantage with Neil Booth ending the week with a 100% record as skip, while the rinks spearheaded by Clifford Craig, Jonathan Ross, Jim Baker and Alan Montgomery all weighed in with wins.

World No.2 Jason Greenslade posted the sole Welsh success as they ended up with the wooden spoon overall.

However, it was Roy McCune’s jubilant Irish squad who celebrated a famous victory in the way only they can! Indeed, it has been reported already that many of their number are hell-bent on delivering the hat-trick in Scotland in 2007.

Wigton, meanwhile, proved to be a first-class choice of venue with a splendid atmosphere. The last time the event was held in Cumbria was back in 1919 and, on this evidence, there’s absolutely no way that it will another 87 years before it makes its return.

Results
SCOTLAND 120, IRELAND 102
(David Peacock 15, Neil Booth 20; Willie Wood 30, Clifford Craig 10; Graeme Archer 22, Jonathan Ross 14; Grant Logan 23, Jim Baker 13; Colin Mitchell 16, Alan Montgomerie 15; Billy Mellors 14, Noel Graham 30)
Scotland 18 points, Ireland 4 points

ENGLAND 123, WALES 89
(Stephen Farish 14, Robert Weale 16; Graham Shadwell 15, William Thomas 22; Andy Thomson 19, Andrew Atwood 18; Ian Bond 30, David Wilkins 10; Mark Walton 27, Mark Weaver 11; Robert Newman 18, Jason Greenslade 12)
England 18 points, Wales 4 points

WALES 119, SCOTLAND 111
(Mark Weaver 11, Colin Mitchell 27; Jason Greenslade 23, Billy Mellors 22; Robert Weale 26, David Peacock 20; William Thomas 15, Willie Wood 22; Andrew Atwood 27, Graeme Archer 5; David Wilkins 17, Grant Logan 15)
Wales 18 points, Scotland 4 points

IRELAND 130, ENGLAND 104
(Alan Montgomery 24, Mark Walton 21; Noel Graham 23, Robert Newman 12; Neil Booth 20, Stephen Farish 19; Clifford Craig 19, Graham Shadwell 16; Jonathan Ross 27, Andy Thomson 18; Jim Baker 17, Ian Bond 18)
Ireland 20 points, England 2 points

ENGLAND 142, SCOTLAND 92
(Andy Thomson 22, Graeme Archer 10; Ian Bond 25, Grant Logan 18; Mark Walton 23, Colin Mitchell 21; Robert Newman 26, Billy Mellors 14; Stephen Farish 17, David Peacock 20; Graham Shadwell 29, Willie Wood 9)
England 20 points, Scotland 2 points

IRELAND 133, WALES 93
(Jonathan Ross 27, Andrew Atwood 9; Jim Baker 25, David Wilkins 11; Alan Montgomery 20, Marc Wyatt 17; Noel Graham 16, Jason Greenslade 20; Neil Booth 28, Robert Weale 20; Clifford Craig 17, William Thomas 16)
Ireland 20 points, Wales 2 points