JERSEY captain Ian Daly said his team was feeling ‘pig sick’ after they failed to retain the men’s inter-insular trophy at L’Ancresse.
Guernsey won the match 12½-8½ after dominating the second day’s play in the singles, where they won seven of the ten contests.
Jersey had got off to a flyer on the opening day in the foresomes to lead 3½ to 1½.
But the momentum quickly shifted the way of the hosts in the fourballs and Guernsey fought back to level things at 5-5 by close of play.
From there, the Sarnians did not look back.
Danny Blondel delivered a high-quality performance against the reigning Jersey champion Steven Anderson to win 3&2 and put Guernsey in the lead for the first time. Jeremy Nicolle then did the same in his match against James Draisey.
Jersey pulled back level again when Josh Ozard and Alex Guelpa won their singles matches against Channel Islands champion Jamie Blondell and Daniel Griggs respectively, with Ozard scoring five birdies in a row, but from thereon in, Guernsey did not lose another tie from the six games remaining.
‘Huge credit to Dave [Jeffrey] and his team,’ said a magnanimous Daly. ‘They are all really great guys and I do mean that from the bottom of my heart. They are great golfers as well and I think the friendships that are built over these fixtures last for lifetimes.
‘We started really well on Saturday morning. Historically we’ve not done too well in the foursomes but we managed to win that series of matches.
‘Guernsey, as we expected, came right back into it on Saturday afternoon which left it delicately poised at 5-5 overnight. I must admit, I thought about a few scenarios but I didn’t think we’d lose by quite this amount. I was hoping for a victory, the draw looked good, even though there are no easy matches out there.
‘We knew they would fightback. At lunchtime [on Saturday] I was very happy to have a two-point lead after the foursomes, but I think they carried that momentum which they gained in the fourballs into the singles and we’ve no complaints. I watched some high-quality golf out there by 20 guys trying their hearts out, but full credit to Guernsey, they did well and truly deserve it this weekend.’
Results (Jersey named first):
Foursomes
Steven Anderson/Josh Ozard halved with Jamie Blondel/Ollie Chedhomme; Stanley Keites/James Draisey beat Andy Eggo/Jeremy Nicolle 5 & 3; Matthew Parkman/Sam Crenan bt Daniel Griggs/CJ Elmy 1Up; Alex Guelpa/Andy Clarke bt Tom Pattimore/Arthur Evans 3 & 2; Jeremy Phillips/Simon Allchin lost to Danny Blondel/Tom Le Huray 3 & 2.
Fourballs
Parkman/Clarke lst D Blondel, Le Huray 1 down; Anderson/Ozard lst J Blondel/Chedhomme 2 & 1; Keites/Draisey halved with Nicolle/Elmy; Crenan/Guelpa bt Griggs/Eggo 3 & 2; Allchin/Phillips lst Pattimore/ Evans 2 & 1.
Singles
Anderson lst D Blondel 3 & 2; Draisey lst Nicolle 3 & 2; Ozard bt J Blondel 5 & 4; Guelpa bt Griggs 1Up; Crenan lst Pattimore 2 & 1; Parkman lst Evans 5 & 4; Clarke lst Elmy 2 & 1; Keites lst Le Hurey 1Down; Phillips halved with Chedhomme; Allchin lst Eggo 2 & 1.
