McIlroy to lead Ulster

The Short Game: Irish Youths' and Ulster Boys' champion Rory McIlroy heads up a strong Ulster team for the Boys' Interprovincial Championship to be played at Warrenpoint on August 25th-27th. Also on the team is Karl Gilbert, a member of the Boys' International team at Portmarnock GC last week.Compiled by Shay Keenan and Kevin McKenna

ULSTER: Graham Douglas (Lurgan), Karl Gilbert (Malone), Philip Graham (Galgorm Castle), David Leathem (Lisburn), Rory McIlroy (Holywood), Fergal Rafferty (Dungannon), Liam Reilly (Galgorm Castle). Non-travelling reserves: Simon Doherty (Fortwilliam), Andrew Shaw (Malone). Non-playing captain: John Boyd (Ballycastle).

Swinging into action

Balbriggan GC play host to a number of junior and juvenile competitions over the coming weeks. Starting tomorrow with the Hanley Cup, a singles strokeplay for youths under-22 with a handicap limit of 28 for boys and 36 for girls. The entry fee is €3. On August 18th, Balbriggan is the venue for the Youths Scratch Cup (under-22), while on August 23rd, the Squire Ennis Trophy takes pride of place, a foursomes event for teams of three pairs from each club with a handicap limit of 19 with a minimum combined 16. Time sheets are available at 01-8412229 or 01-8412173.

The Tom Funge Memorial Cup takes place at Courtown on Thursday. Open to under-18s with a handicap limit of 28 for boys and 36 for girls, the time sheet is available at 055-25166, ext 3.

Beardsley's birdies

George Beardsley birdied the final two holes to earn Louth a place in the play-offs in the Leinster Intercounty pitch-and-putt championship at Tullamore on Sunday. Beardsley holed a three-footer on the final green to send Louth into a three-hole play-off with clubhouse leaders Kildare. Louth dominated the extra holes, posting 10-under par to win by seven. Frank Ryan had earlier shot 46 for Kildare, having birdied the first six holes.

Dublin dethroned holders Kildare in the women's championship. Peggy Campbell shot a 47 in the foursomes alongside Maree O'Toole and posted 52 in the singles as Dublin ended a morning of torrential rain four shots clear of their neighbours.

It was a great weekend for Louth. Their juveniles won the Leinster Intercounty at Guinness, while all three juvenile strokeplay titles also went north east - Aoife Byrne (Channonrock) in girls, Thomas Pepper (Channonrock) the boys' 10-13 and Cement's David Lambe in boys' 14-15.

Cork won the Munster Men's Intercounty championship in a tie-breaker with Limerick. Cork also took the ladies championship while Kerry took the juveniles. Continuing the Kerry juvenile success story, Darren Goodall (Tralee) clinched the boys' strokeplay while the girls' title went to Hillview's Michelle McCarthy.

Lahinch centenary

A group of 25 men and women, dressed in the costumes of the period, marked the centenary of the founding of the Lahinch GC ladies committee. In 1904 the first lady captain of the club was F Walker Leigh, and Joe Barrington, whose family founded Barrington's Hospital in Limerick, was one of the seven committee members. Mary Duffy of Birr was musical director and Dermot Kelly, known as the singing bank manager, introduced the numbers.

In the following day's men's captain's (Niall McDermott's) prize, the winner on a nine-hole countback was Diarmuid Leonard (5) Castletroy. Runner-up was Greg Young Jnr (4) Kilrush, despite having a hole in one at the 16th. He remarked at the prize-giving that he was keeping up the best traditions of his distinguished father, who was five times runner-up in the South of Ireland Championship.

Eustace in form

Setting the standard around Hermitage GC has been Marie Therese Eustace who won the monthly medal in record fashion recently. The left-hander won with a course record and in the process recorded her best competitive score. Playing superbly, she fired an excellent 71 gross to win the medal with a 65 nett. Par around Hermitage is 73.

Eustace reached the turn in two under par and, despite knowing she was on her way to something special, managed to keep her concentration to finish level par for the back nine and thus set the standard on 71. Over the course of the 18 holes she had four birdies.

"Everything seemed to go right on the day," she admitted. "But I have been playing quite well all season and have been winning something nearly every week in Hermitage."

Prior to her record at Hermitage, her best score had been 76, so she was surprised to reduce that to 71. Last week she shot 73, while in the recent Scratch Cup she had a 74. Eustace started the season playing off seven, brought that down to five, went back up to six, but is now playing off 4.5.

Acheson in command

It was lucky number seven in Clonmel during the week when the weekly singles produced some sparkling scores. And making the top grade among them all was Maura Acheson who won with a stunning 7-up score. Not only was it good enough to win the event, but it also saw her handicap tumble. Acheson had gone into the competition playing off 32, but she has cut that to 29. Sarah Gleeson finished second after she finished 6-up, while in third spot was Helen Doyle on 4-up. Helen O'Donoghue won the gross prize with 3-down.

Coghlan lands ace

It has been a good week for a few of the lady captains around the country, most notably at Tara Glen and Arklow. At Tara Glen, in Ballymoney, Co Wexford, Yolanda Coghlan was making a small piece of history when she recorded her first hole in one. Competing in the monthly medal in strong winds and rain, she aced the final hole (145 yards) with a driver.

Meanwhile, at Arklow, Denise Byrne, playing off 22, was showing the rest of the club how to win. In partnership with Killeen's Paula Burke (19) she was victorious in the open day. Their 46 points was good enough for a three-point win over Eileen Cullen (16) of Courtown and Milltown's Kay Bowen (19).

Third were the Woodenbridge pairing of Mary Collins (18) and Jeanette Brennan (28). The gross prize went to another Woodenbridge member in Sandra Watkins (8) who was in partnership with Baltinglass's Mai Quaid (8).