But after beating Mathias Gronberg and Alex Cejka by one hole, they repeated that when Frenchmen Raphael Jacquelin and Thomas Levet finished with a double bogey six.

As the players tried to stay warm European captain Seve Ballesteros, who sat out both sessions, said: ‘‘The weather turned bad and the result also.

‘‘But that’s the way it goes and there’s a long way to go yet.’’

Opposite number Colin Montgomerie, keen to avenge his defeat in the inaugural match at Sunningdale two years ago, was understandably the happier of the two.

Having lost himself in the 2-2 sharing of the greensomes, he came back for a foursomes victory with Andrew Oldcorn and then saw first Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood and then Harrington and McGinley add further points.

‘‘It was a tough morning, but a good afternoon,’’ said Montgomerie. ‘‘And the Irish boys have done Ireland proud.’’

The home team’s only losers after lunch were debutants Steve Webster and Paul Casey and they departed feeling they should have won.

One up with three to play, they bogeyed the 16th against Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez, then Olazabal, fourth in the Masters last Sunday and second on the US Tour money list, made a 20-foot birdie putt at the short 17th.

Watched by his girlfriend Susie Amy, who plays Chardonnay in the television series ‘‘Footballers’ Wives’’, Webster badly missed the green pitching to the last with the Spanish duo themselves in a spot of bother.

It proved decisive, Olazabal making a four-footer for a half in bogey fives and a one-up win.

Clarke and Westwood lost to Jacquelin and Levet in the morning and Montgomerie said: ‘‘They were very upset and that fired them up.’’

Ulsterman Clarke had a knee strapped up, but commented: ‘‘I wanted to get back out there come what may.’’

It proved worthwhile as his putting never looked back from the moment he holed a 45-foot putt on the second against Cejka and Thomas Bjorn and then he pitched in from 50 yards at the long 11th for an eagle three.

Montgomerie and Oldcorn were level with four to play against Swedes Robert Karlsson and Niclas Fasth, but then Oldcorn chipped in at the 15th and Montgomerie played a great chip at the next to put them two up.

His bunker recovery on the short 17th was just as good and that was that. Oldcorn, spared playing the last hole he double-bogeyed to lose the 1996 Irish Open to Montgomerie, said: ‘‘I was a bit nervous this morning because I didn’t play, but once I started I was fine.’’

Earlier Montgomerie had lost the opening match of the event with Paul Lawrie to Bjorn and Karlsson.

The Danish-Swedish combination went to the turn in a blistering 29, six under, and despite losing three out of four holes from the 12th had enough in hand to win two and one.

Karlsson said: ‘‘I was struggling with my driving all day, so it was just as well it was greensomes (both players drive, then pick one).’’

Bjorn added: ‘‘The front nine we played fantastic, spectacular golf and they were up against it.

‘‘We allowed them to get back into it a little, but it seemed like we were always in control.’’

Webster and Ian Woosnam instantly clicked, though, being six under par for the 16 holes it took them to claim the notable scalps of Olazabal and Jimenez.

The game was effectively decided by a run of four successive birdies from the ninth and Webster said: ‘‘I enjoyed that brilliant.

‘‘I loved it. It’s great playing with Woosie. He just lets you play your normal game and I was very comfortable with him. I thought at the start of the week I might be with him.

‘‘I’ve got a putting green built in the back garden at home (as has Woosnam in Jersey), but I think I will need a bit more practice on it. I didn’t hole as many as I would have liked.’’

Woosnam, left out of the foursomes, said: ‘‘We could have finished 10 under. We missed a load of putts.

‘‘I think they are one of their strongest pairings and Steve drove the ball fantastic.’’

Harrington and McGinley, World Cup winners for Ireland in 1997, did not have a bogey against Cejka and Gronberg and were never behind, but because they managed only two birdies the contest went all the way to the 465-yard last.

Harrington needed a wood for their second, but found the green and then made a six-foot putt for the half they required on the hole to win one-up.

‘‘It would have been disappointing to even halve,’’ stated Harrington, the younger but more experienced of the two.

Clarke and Westwood led three times against Jacquelin and Levet and were two up after seven, but the French pair birdied the 14th and 15th to get their noses in front and were gifted the next when their illustrious opponents three-putted for a bogey six.

A half in threes at the next settled the issue and sent the two teams into the afternoon level.