Welsh U25 International Team Compete at Belmont Bowling Club in Northern Ireland

Over the weekend of September 14-15th, the Welsh U25 International Team traveled to Belmont Bowling Club in Northern Ireland for a thrilling series of matches against teams from Scotland, Ireland, and England. Captained by Katie Thomas (Whitland) for the women’s team and Joe Price (Ely Valley) for the men’s, the Welsh squad put up a valiant effort over the two days of competition.

Special thanks to Sporting Highlights for the pictures.

Match 1: Wales vs. England
The series kicked off on Saturday morning following the opening ceremony, with Wales facing England. The men’s team recorded a solid performance, winning two out of three rinks and finishing with a score of 66-47. Unfortunately, the women faced a tough challenge, losing 40-72, despite a strong late push on two rinks to close the gap in shots.
Overall score: Wales 106 - 119 England

Match 2: Wales vs. Scotland
In the second match, Wales went up against a formidable Scottish team. For the men, Ryan Davies' rink was the only winning rink, with a 21-15 victory. Both Joe Price’s and Chad Bowling’s rinks faced narrow defeats, ending the men's match at 48-58. On the women’s side, Olivia Jackson’s rink secured a 24-19 win, but the remaining rinks were unable to take the lead, finishing with a score of 58-71.
Overall score: Wales 106 - 129 Scotland

Match 3: Wales vs. Ireland
The final match took place on Sunday morning against the home team, Ireland. The Welsh men’s team had a strong showing, winning on two of three rinks and finishing with a score of 71-55. Special recognition goes to the rink of Billy Flynn, Elijah Minnet, Rhys Colwil, and Ryan Davies, who won all three of their games over the weekend. The women’s team won on one rink but finished the match 49-61.
Overall score: Wales 120 - 116 Ireland

Final Standings
At the end of the series, the Welsh men finished second on the table, just behind Scotland, while the women placed fourth. Despite the results, it was a hard-fought campaign with many young players earning new caps and others transitioning out of the junior system.

This event was a valuable experience for the team, offering the opportunity for both men and women to compete on the same green, fostering a great atmosphere for both players and spectators.

Congratulations to Scotland for their overall victory in the series!