McIlroy leads strong youths side

Amateur Scene European Championships: On a busy week for underage players, Irish teams will contest four European Championships around the continent.

Ireland have sent a very strong six-player side to Spain for the European Youths team championship which gets under way this morning as they go in search of a fourth victory in the event.

It includes Rory McIlroy, the Holywood teenager, who won the Irish Close championship for the second successive year, and Co Louth's Simon Ward, runner-up in that final.

It is very rare for a youths (under-21) team to include two players who have made such an impression in the senior game - and captain Padraig Hogan is cautiosuly optimistic that they could deliver the goods.

This biannual tournament, which Ireland last won in Oslo in 1994, has been moved at the 11th hour to the San Roque course because the original venue La Canada, has been badly affected by a grass disease on six holes.

West Waterford's Seamus Power and Gareth Shaw from Lurgan have both emerged from the junior ranks and should be an asset to the side while Shane Lowry, who plays out of Esker Hills, and Aaron O'Callaghan from Douglas have come on in leaps and bounds.

The Irish boys side are in Sweden for their championship which also starts today. Their challenge is apearheaded by reigning Irish boys champion Niall Kearney from Royal Dublin.

It is an impressive-looking team with Kearney being joined by Paul Cutler, Andrew Hogan,Brian Keenan, Paul O'Kane and Liam Reilly at the Bokskogen club in Malmo.

Both championships have the same format with stroke-play qualifying today and tomorrow after which the countries will be put into flights for the matchplay stages beginning on Thursday.

Recently-selected Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney spearheads a strong-looking Irish challenge in the European under-21 women's team championship in Holland this week.

The 20-year-old Carlow star has been shining in the States and is a back-to-back winner of the Irish stroke-play championsip - she should prove to be an inspiration to her team colleagues.

Ireland are also competing in the European girls team championship over the testing Esbjerg course in Denmark.

Bangor's Victoria Bradshaw,Sarah Faller of Galway,Holli Snelling from Killarney and Limerick's Linda Toomey are the four Irish girls - and the team is captained by Jackie Quinn from County Louth.

YOUTHS: Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), Rory McIlroy (Holywood), Aaron O'Callaghan (Douglas), Seamus Power (West Waterford), Gareth Shaw (Lurgan), Simon Ward (Co Louth). Captain: Padraig Hogan.

WOMEN'S UNDER-21: Fiona Carroll (Athenry), Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway), Catherine Tucker (Limerick).

BOYS: Paul Cutler (Portstewart), Andrew Hogan (Newlands), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Brian Keenan (The Heath), Paul O'Kane (Moyola Park), Liam Reilly (Galgorm Castle).

GIRLS: Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Sarah Faller (Galway), Holli Snelling (Killarney), Linda Toomey (Limerick). Captain - Jackie Quinn (Co Louth). Manager: Rose Doyle (Shannon).