Booth delighted to see his Irish heroes strike European gold

IRELAND manager Neil Booth hailed his team after they struck gold in the 11th European Team Bowls Championships on the artificial greens at the Le Creux Club in Jersey.

Megan Wilson and Catherine Beattie won silver medals in the ladies’ pairs, while Mark Wilson and Andy Kyle repeated the feat in the men’s discipline.

All four players then teamed up to win a silver medal in the mixed fours.

The impressive performance subsequently helped Ireland lift gold in the overall team championship.

“It was a fantastic effort by all four players,” said Booth. “To be honest, it was almost gold medals in the respective pairs tournaments because we were beaten on shot difference in both.

“Taking into account that there were 16 teams from all over Europe competing, it was brilliant to win three silver medals and a gold in that class of company.”

It was England’s Jamie-Lea Winch and Rebecca Wigfield that deprived Wilson and Beattie of their gold medals in the ladies section. Wilson and Kyle also missed out by the narrowest of margins to Guernsey’s Matt Solway and Matt Le Ber.

Wales, who were represented by Bethan Russ, Emma Gittins, Chris Klefenz and Chris Ashman, then edged out Ireland at the top of the Mixed Fours leader board.

But it was Booth’s team who had the final say, by picking up the gold medal in the overall championship, courtesy of their excellent performance in the three disciplines. Guernsey finished in second place, while Scotland took bronze.