The first day of match play has been completed across the continent in this year's European Team Championships. In each bracket, today's winning teams will now compete for the top four places, meaning those that won in Flight A find themselves in the semi-finals. Whereas, those that lost out today will be compete for final position.
Germany are the only nation with a chance of medals in three events, their ladies, girls and boys will all play semi-final matches on Friday.
European Amateur Team Championship
Denmark put in the top performance of the day at Ljunghusens GC, Sweden. The eighth seeds schocked dominant stroke play qualifers, Ireland in the quarter-finals. After winning both of the morning foursomes matches 5&4, the Danish team needed just two points in the afternoon singles to earn a spot in the semi-finals.
Mark Power and Conor Purcell brought Ireland back level after winning the first two singles matches of the afternoon. Andreas Sorensen then took Denmark within one point of victory with a 1-up win against Caolon Rafferty, but recently crowned Amateur Champion, James Sugrue, tied the match once again after defeating August Thor Host 3&2.
Despite putting a ball in the water on the 17th, Alexander George Frances took a one-up advantage into the last hole for Denmark. A halved hole meant the Danish team would defeat Ireland by a score of 4-3 and progress to the semi-finals. "I hit two really solid shots into the green on 18 to seal the deal, it was an amazing feeling, especially when you're playing for your teammates, I can't describe the feeling" said Frances after securing the winning point.
In the other three quarter-final matches, the victories went to the higher-seeded teams. Sweden (4) defeated Germany (5) by a score of 5.5-1.5, Scotland (3) defeated Spain (6) 4.5-2.5, and England (2) survived a close encounter with Wales (7) by a score of 4-3.
Denmark will face hosts Sweden, and Scotland will play last year's runners-up, England in Friday's semi-finals.
All of Thursday's scores and Friday's scheduled matches can be found on the event page here
European Ladies' Team Championship
Ireland were the eight-seeds heading into the quarter-finals at Is Molas Resort meaning they faced top-seeds, Italy, in the opening match. The Irish team was also without star player, Julie Mccarthy, who suffered a wrist injury in the second stroke play round.
After sharing the points in the two morning foursomes matches, Ireland won the first two matches of the afternoon, leaving them just one point away from a spot in the semi-finals. However, the hosting team recovered well to win all of the last three matches. Anna Zanusso secured the winning point for the Italian team with a 3&1 victory over Lauren Walsh.
The second match of the day also went to the wire. Spain and Scotland both won a point in the morning foursomes. The first four singles matches then all went past the 17th hole. Mria Herraez Galvez defeated Hazel Macgarvie on the 20th hole of the match while Teresa Toscano secured a third point for Spain with a two-hole victory.
The Scottish players were leading in the final two matches and the overall score was tied with just a few holes to play, but Ana Pelaez managed to secure a deciding fourth point for Spain with a one-hole victory over Penny Brown. Italy and Spain will go head-to-head on Friday in the first semi-final match.
Defending champions, Sweden comfortably defeated 10-times champions, England in their quarter-final. After winning the second foursomes match on the 20th hole, the Swedish team never looked back and won three of the singles matches to progress to the semi-finals.
Germany were the last team to make it into the last-four. After sharing the morning foursomes points with Denmark, the German team claimed the first three singles of the afternoon to set up a semi-final match with Sweden.
Thursday's scores and Friday's scheduled matches can be found on the event page here
European Boys' Team Championship, Jean-Louis Dupont Trophy
The French team secured the upset of the day at Golf de Chantilly. After finishing eighth in the stroke play qualifying, the hosting team faced a tough match against defending champions and number-one seeds, Spain. However, the French team didn't drop a single match: after winning both of the morning foursomes matches, Quentin Debove defeated Hugo Aguilar 4&3 and Tom Vaillant defeated the top-ranked player in the field, Alvaro Mueller-Baumgart on the 18th hole to secure France a spot in the semi-finals.
In the other hald of the bracket, Ireland got the best of England. After both teams claimed three points from the first six matches, the tie would be decided by the final match between Max Hopkins and Joseph Byrne. 18 holes weren't enough to seperate the two, but Byrne won the 19th hole to send the Irish team into the semi-finals.
Second seeds, Germany, were the last team to book a spot in the final-four. After losing both of the morning foursomes matches, the German team recovered with four singles wins in the afternoon to claim a narrow 4-3 victory.
Thursday's scores and Friday's scheduled matches can be found on the event page here
European Girls' Team Championship
Defending champions, Italy, are looking like the team to beat once again at Parador El Saler after a comfortable victory over the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
In the second quarter-final, the first morning foursomes match went to the 23rd hole, and the second was decided on the 18th, one in favour of Spain and the latter in favour of England. A 3-2 victory in the afternoon singles session secured the hosts a spot in the semi-finals.
Denmark and Germany are the other two teams that progressed to the last-four, defeating the Czech Republic and Sweden respectively.
Italy will take on the hosts, Spain, in a repeat of last year's final, while Denmark will take on germany.
Thursday's scores and Friday's scheduled matches can be found on the event page here
