Dawson goes one better than dad
BOSTON’S Andrew Dawson has beaten his dad’s record in The Daily Mail Foursomes by reaching today’s semi-finals with club mate Andrew Green, after winning two nailbiting clashes. 30 years ago his dad Terry, now 69, reached the showpiece event for the same club, but his journey ended in the quarter-finals while his son is now focused on going all the way. Dawson said: ‘It’s nice to have gone further than him. I would like to bring the cup home for my dad, for the club and for us.’ The Lincolnshire duo were tested on the Championship Old Course at Marriott St Pierre. They beat Haste Hill’s Liam Cella and Steve Brownsea on the second extra hole to book their quarter-final spot. They then wrapped up a 3&1 victory over former Oxford United footballer Steve Jenkins and Will Clark from Studley Wood. Meanwhile, in the women’s tournament Duddingston’s Dee Williams and Karen Ferguson-Snedden fought their way into the semi-final after making an incredible turnaround from five down with seven to go to knock out Lesley Perrin and Val Williams from Belton Woods. FergusonSnedden said: ‘When it was backs against the wall I suddenly started playing golf.’ Results: Sport In Brief
Chris Coleman will take time to consider his future as Wales manager after suffering a ‘devastating’ defeat that ended his country’s World Cup hopes.
republic of ireland pulled off a famous victory to keep their own ambitions alive on a night when Wales — missing their star player Gareth Bale through injury — failed to fire.
Coleman admitted he now has a decision to make over his future. The 47-year- old had said this would be his last campaign but hinted at a possible U-turn and admitted he could stay on.
Wales will arrange a friendly next month, after missing out on a play-off, and Coleman’s current contract runs until next summer.
‘There’s a chance i can stay and a chance i won’t,’ he said. ‘i can’t give an answer right now.
‘it’s not just a matter of signing a new contract. The FAW have been great with me. i asked them to leave me alone as my contract has been running down and all the questions were getting asked. i wanted to concentrate on getting results.
‘There’ll be a conversation in due course, there’s a friendly next month. My contract is until the summer. But right now, i’m thinking about the experience. i’ll go back to my family and take a bit of time. When the dust settles we’ll see where we go.’
having seen his team fail to perform and lose to James McClean’s second-half strike, Coleman added: ‘if you ask any manager after a defeat, you want to be as far away from it as you can. it’s six years i’ve been in charge, or coming up to it at Christmas time.
‘i can’t say right now about my future because i’m genuinely not thinking about it.
‘There’s a dressing room full of devastated players and staff. The whole nation will be mourning because again that elusive World Cup has passed us by this time.
‘But i genuinely believe if you look at the make-up of our squad, and some of the young ones coming through, this is a good group of players, even better for tonight. Defeat hurts but you learn a lot from defeat.
‘i am absolutely gutted we haven’t made it. But it’s not my first disappointment in life and probably won’t be my last.’
Wales started brightly but faded badly after Joe Allen went off on the half hour with concussion following a collision involving McClean and David Meyler. Coleman suggested ireland had targeted the stoke midfielder.
‘Joe has concussion, he took a whack,’ said Coleman. ‘i said it would be physical, we weren’t disappointed. if he was targeted they’ve done a good job. it’s a typical game of football. No complaints. Good luck to them, they’ve won it and i hope they go and qualify.
‘i said before, if it wasn’t us it’s going to be another home nation. Good luck to Martin O’Neill, he’s done a tremendous job and i hope they go and get to the World Cup.’