RYEDALE golfer David Hague just missed out on Home International glory as his England side were edged out by the narrowest of margins in the four-way competition.

England and Ireland had both won their earlier two matches against Scotland and Wales before meeting in a decider on the final day of the championship held at Moortown, Yorkshire.

They tied their match 7.5 points apiece after 36 holes of ups and downs but Ireland took the crown because over the course of the three-day tournament they had won 26.5 games to England’s 26.

It was the fourth year in a row that the Emerald Isle had won the Raymond Trophy, and it brought further agony for an England outfit who lost this championship last year on the last putt on the last green, and likewise lost the gold medal in the European Team Championships a few weeks ago on the last putt on the last green.

But team captain Kevin Tucker remarked: “I’m incredibly proud of my team. They were underdogs and they nearly pulled it off. They were great.”

Hague, the rising star of Malton & Norton Golf Club, was in the 11-man team alongside fellow Yorkshiremen Dan Brown (Masham) and Will Whiteoak (Shipley).

He won his doubles and singles in England’s 9-6 win over Scotland and again in the 9.5-5.5 win over Wales – including beating Wales’ Llewellyn Matthews by a massive 8&6. However he lost both times against the Irish, Caolan Rafferty his nemesis.

In the play-off for third place, meanwhile, Wales beat Scotland 9.5-5.5.