Strong Irish team faces New York

The Irish selectors have shown their intent by picking a strong team which features four Walker Cup panel members for the Governor Carey Challenge Cup match against the Metropolitan Golf Association of New York at Portmarnock Links next month.

Jody Fanagan, West of Ireland champion Noel Fox, Bryan Omelia and David Dunne - who are all on the current training panel for next year's Walker Cup match - have been named in the eight-man Irish team. The team is: Fanagan (Milltown), Fox (Portmarnock), Omelia (Newlands), Dunne (Co Sligo), Paddy Gribben (Warrenpoint), Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) and Michael Sinclair (Knock). Portmarnock's Adrian Morrow is first reserve, while Pat Murray (Tipperary) is second reserve. Sinclair, the current North of Ireland champion, is the only newcomer to this level of representative honours, although he is a former Irish boys' international and has represented Ulster at inter-provincial level for the past three seasons.

Interestingly, while the Irish ages range from 22 (Dunne) to 33 (Power), the Americans - who won the inaugural match two years ago - have a more experienced look. Apart from 20-yearold Paul Dickinson, the MGA Public Links champion for the past two years, the rest of the visiting players are all thirty or fortysomethings with Allan Small, at 45, the oldest of all.

The final of the Dunnes Stores Golfaid - an event which is expected to raise £40,000 for People in Need - will take place in Mullingar tomorrow, where the host club are favourites. Mullingar, Warrenpoint, Elm Park and Doneraile are the four finalists.

Elm Park won the title last year and made it through again this year as third fastest qualifiers. However, Mullingar - who were timed at 12 minutes 55 seconds - were the only team to break the 13-minute mark and, with local knowledge, will take some beating.