Irish psyched up to end English domination

The tiger was tamed on the last occasion that a major amateur championship, in that instance the Walker Cup, was staged in Royal Porthcawl. Indeed, Gary Wolstenholme, a career amateur in an age when many use the unpaid ranks as a mere stepping stone to professional riches, returns to an old haunt in his bid to steer England to an unprecedented sixth successive Home Internationals title when the round-robin championship starts today.

Neither of Ireland's two representatives from that Walker Cup success in 1995 return to the Welsh links this time round, although for vastly different reasons. Padraig Harrington earns his wages on the PGA European Tour these days, while Jody Fanagan's form this season has dipped alarmingly.

Yet, the turnover in the Irish team is considerably less than any other team; as such, there are just three players making their debuts in the championship - David Jones, Gary Cullen and Johnny Foster - and captain Mick Craddock cautiously observed that "the blend is a good one. The young guys who have been brought in know what it is all about when the chips are down. They all come in as winners."

Ireland, who last won the title in 1992 when they completed a three-in-a-row, have been beaten on countback by the English on two of the last three occasions and are probably due a change of fortune. "We've prepared very well," explained Craddock, "but you can't plan for the breaks that come along the way."

In fact, Howard Bennett, the national coach, and sports psychologist Harry Wallace have been with the team since their arrival in Porthcawl on Sunday. On Monday the players acquainted themselves with the course - which Wolstenholme reckons is in far superior condition to what it was three years ago - by playing 27 holes, and yesterday they had a further practice round, followed by work on the putting green.

Apparently, the Irish players believe that the greens here are slower than they've become accustomed to on Irish links course this season. Yet, the stimpmeter reading is 9.5 and, allied with the strong winds which have been in evidence for the past few days, the greens should pose quite a few questions.

Sensing the need to get off to a good start in this morning's foursomes encounter with Scotland (England start their campaign against the host country, who have five members of the winning European Youths team in action), Craddock has put the experienced pairing of Garth McGimpsey and Ken Kearney out in the top match. Debutant Cullen, meanwhile, has been omitted from the foursomes pairings, but will play in the afternoon singles when teenager Jones, the winner of the Irish boys' title who also spearheaded Ireland's win in the European Boys' championship in Gullane in the summer, will be rested.

Ireland go into the championship in confident mood, and Paddy Gribben - the 28-year-old Warrenpoint player who recently won the European Individual Championship - has an added incentive in that the four-man British and Irish team for the Eisenhower Trophy (world amateur team championship) which takes place in Chile in November will be selected next week. A good championship should ensure his presence in that team. But that's a side issue, and the main task is regain the Raymond Trophy.

Even though Scotland include last year's British amateur champion Craig Watson in their side, one suspects that the main threat will again come from England. For that to happen, nothing less than a win over the Scots today will suffice.