GOLF DIGEST: BOYS: Ireland made a winning start to the defence of their RA Trophy in the Boys' Home Internationals over the Royal St David's links at Harlech yesterday, but they were made to fight hard over hosts Wales.
They got there in the end 8½-6½ and are on course for their third title in four years. Today they face Scotland who went down 9-6 to England.
At one stage in the morning it looked as though Ireland would demolish Wales, but there was a sudden turnaround as Kieran Lynch and John Galbraith lost the last three holes to Otto Mand and Delon Hau so only halved a game they seemed certain to win.
Ireland lunched with a 3-2 advantage and for most of the afternoon it was exceptionally tight, but they delivered in vital games.
In the middle order Keagan Cummings and Kieran Lynch secured 17th hole triumphs over Oliver Baker and David Boote, the 2010 and current Welsh Boys champions respectively.
In particularly fine form was Alex Gleeson, who crushed Hau 6 and 4, being two under par in the process. He was one up at the turn and then won five holes on the bounce to settle the issue.
Gavin Moynihan was another big winner, beating Ryan Haskell by the same margin, finishing off the match with a birdie two on the 14th where he fired a three-iron to within 12 feet. Gary Hurley’s last green victory over Oliver Mottram was a crucial point.
EUROPEAN AMATEUR:The battle for places in next month's Walker Cup match will be on the minds of the Irish players bidding for glory in the European Amateur Individual Championship, which gets under way at Halmstad, Sweden, today.
Ireland have tasted much success in this prestigious 72-hole event in recent times with, Rory McIlroy, Brian McElhinney, Stephen Browne and Paddy Gribben having won.
Portstewart’s Paul Cutler appears virtually assured of a Walker Cup spot but he will be keen to finally clinch his trip to Aberdeen.
Kevin Phelan, who qualified for last year’s US Open and subsequently made his Irish international debut at Ashburnham, is quite capable of delivering the goods, while Alan Dunbar, Paul Dunne and Richard O’Donovan have been in form this season.
For teenager Dermot McElroy of Ballymena this is a major move onto the international stage – he would have been with the Boys at Harlech, but, as a Walker Cup squad member, his place was considered to be in Sweden.
The 144 players complete a round on each of the next three days and there is a cut for the final 18 holes.
SENIORS: Garth McGimpsey spearheads a strong Irish assault on the British Seniors Open Amateur Championship which begins today at Royal Portrush.
The former Walker Cup captain from Bangor is one of the early starters this morning going out just after 7am.
Barry Reddan, Paraic O’Rourke, Tony Hayes, Hugh Smyth, Liam MacNamara and Tom Cleary are among the other Irish in the 54-hole competition.
GIRLS: Ireland will attempt to shelve the wooden spoon tag when they battle it out in the Home Internationals at Gullane.
Last year they finished bottom of the pile at Bangor, collecting a total of just seven points.
Ireland open against Scotland today.
IRISH TEAM:Jessica Carty (Holywood), A Coyle Diez (Elm Park), Paula Grant (Lisburn), Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare), Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down), Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry), Chloe Ryan (Castleroy), Sinead Sexton (Lahinch).
