The 2002 Triangular Match (between junior teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales) was moved from its normal June slot to the weekend of 14-15 September by the Welsh organisers. Perhaps because of this (also a change in their administrative ranks) the Scots decided not to play, and were replaced by an English team from the county of Warwickshire. The venue was the Welsh College of Horticulture in North Wales.

Warwickshire proved to have a strong under 14 team, beating Wales 6-2 in the first round, but their under 12 team was not in the same league, losing 1.5-6.5 to their Welsh counterparts. In the second round the Irish under 14s drew 4-4 with Warwickshire while the under 12 team won 5.5-2.5. This left the under 14 team a near impossible task of beating Wales 6.5-1.5 in the last round, and in fact they lost 3.5-4.5. The under 12s faced a more realistic target and duly won 4.5-3.5, leaving them level with their Welsh opponents on 10 points, but having won their individual match. Unfortunately the Welsh organisers had neglected to provide any trophies, so the Irish players were deprived of any tangible reward for their efforts.

The Irish under 14 team was missing some of its star players such as Matthew Dignam, Karl McPhillips and Sarah Hegarty, but special mention must go to John McMorrow of Gonzaga who battled courageously against 2000-rated opposition on top board, and Robbie Lunn of Straffan who won both his games, as did Calum Leitch of Belfast in his first representative match. On the under 12 team three players got full points, Sean McCarrick of Longford, Niall Kiernan of Straffan and James Spencer of Surrey, who showed a cool nerve in winning a bishop ending in the very last game against the Welsh to clinch the match win.

A large group of 16 players and 13 adults made the trip to North Wales for the weekend, and some of the parents made the short journey into nearby Chester for some shopping and sight-seeing. In the evening the student bar with its subsidised prices provided some relief from the terrible exchange rate.>/P>

Final scores:
• Under 14: Warwickshire 10; Ireland 7½; Wales 6½.
• Under 12: Ireland, Wales 10; Warwickshire 4.