The Short Game

Compiled by Shay Keenan.

Urgent SOS for Irish Open volunteers

OPPORTUNITIES to play a role in the Irish Ladies Open at the Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links over the weekend are still available to both women and men.

Organisers of the event are looking for volunteers as marshals, ball-spotters and scorers over the three-day tournament.

Volunteers will be provided with six season tickets for the event, a polo shirt, jacket, cap and lunch. There is a party on Sunday and a volunteer golf competition on Wednesday, August 20th.

The winner of the competition will win a place in the 2009 Ladies Irish Open Pro-Am.

Additionally, volunteers for the 2011 Solheim Cup will be selected exclusively from among the Ladies Irish Open volunteers.

Book a place on www.irishladiesopen.ie

• DANIEL MURPHYof Portarlington has been selected by the Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the British Junior Open Championship at Hesketh Golf Club from next Monday to Wednesday.

Murphy won the Munster Boys Under-15 Amateur Championship at Adare Manor last year.

Late entries for Father and Son

The Castle Golf Club's Father and Son Open Foursomes is the longest-running event of its type in the country, but for the first time in its 47-year history the qualifying rounds were postponed, because of the weekend downpours.

They have been rescheduled for next weekend, but several of the 250 pairs have had to pull out because of prior commitments. It means that limited places are available. Contact the club offices on (01) 4904207.

• BARTON CUP:North Dublin rivals Sutton and Malahide will meet in the quarter-final of the FBD-sponsored Barton Cup.

Sutton were 3 1/2-1 1/2 winners over Clontarf, while Malahide beat Hermitage 4-1.

The other ties see Mullingar taking on Carlow, Killiney facing Naas, and Arklow and Enniscorthy completing the round.

It's all go for Maguire sisters

THE Maguire sisters Leona and Lisa, from the Slieve Russell Club in Ballyconnell, have a busy month ahead.

While the sisters compete form Ireland this week in the European Championship, they have also been selected to compete in the European Young Masters to be played at Chantilly Golf Club, France, from July 24th to 26th.

Irish champion Leona and sister Lisa will be joined by GUI selections Paul Dunne from Greystones and Chris Selfridge from Moyola Park.

Selfridge was runner-up in last year's Irish Boys Under-15 Amateur Open, captured the Ulster Youths title at Clandeboye Golf Club last August, and finished third at the Henry Cooper Junior Masters recently.

Dunne won the Ulster Under-15 Boys Amateur Open Championship at Donaghadee Golf Club last August, beating Selfridge into second place.

The European Young Masters began in 1995.

This competition is open to two girls and two boys under 16 from each country.

Played over 54 holes, the competition also includes a Nations Cup, where the three best gross scores of four players (boys and girls) will count each day.

Boys in Slovenia, Girls in Scotland

THE Irish Boys and Girls go in search of European titles this week, with the Boys at Bled Golf & Country Club, Slovenia, and the Girls at Murcar in Scotland, both starting today.

Alan Dunbar (Rathmore), Paul Dunne (Greystones), Luke Lennox (Moyola Park), Richard O'Donovan (Lucan), Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park) and Reeve Whitson (Mourne) all tee up for Ireland this week at the European Boys in a team captained by Dick Cusack of Greystones.

Neil Manchip, the GUI national coach, joined up with the team on Sunday evening following Ireland's victory at the European Team Championship in Italy.

The European Boys Team Championship began in 1980, and Ireland's only victory in the event came in 1998 at Gullane Golf Club in Scotland. In 2000, Ireland finished runners-up in Holland, behind Scotland.

Meanwhile, the Irish Women's champion Leona Maguire from Slieve Russell leads a highly experienced Girls team at Murcar.

While Ireland have yet to taste success at underage level on the European stage, hopes are high that this year's selection will pose a very realistic challenge in terms of the destination of the 2008 title.

Lisa Maguire, now playing off plus one, joins her 13-year-old twin in the line-up having narrowly lost out to Leona in the Irish Women's final. Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) is a strong addition to the side, while Sarah Cunningham from Ennis completes the formidable quartet.

The team is captained by Sinead Keane (The Curragh) and managed by Anita McCaw (RCDL).

Women begin European quest

THE Irish Women's team will endeavour to match the men's success when they tee up in the European Ladies Team Championships at Stenungsund, Sweden, this morning.

Munster champion Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) leads a highly experienced team, and she is joined by seasoned Internationals Tara Delaney (Carlow), Maura Morrin (The Curragh) and Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies).

Gillian O'Leary (Cork) continues the impressive form which saw her debut at last year's Home Internationals, while Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne) wins her first Senior cap. The team is captained by Phil O'Gorman (Laytown and Bettystown) and managed by Claire Robinson (Knock).

The team aims to improve on last year's final placing of 10th when the first round of the 36-hole qualifying strokeplay starts today.

The top eight teams will then play off for the medal positions while the remainder of the field contest the minor placings.

IRELAND:Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Niamh Kitching (Claremorris), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Gillian O'Leary (Cork).

Extra honour for McKinney

WHEN the record books for Delgany Golf Club are written, Pauline McKinney will have the distinction of being the Lady Captain's winner for 2008 - an honour made all the more special as 2008 is the Wicklow club's Centenary Year.

McKinney, playing off 31, won Miriam McKeever's coveted prize in style, recording a two-round total of 74 points to win by a healthy six points from Karen Whelan (21), who was a point ahead of Karen Crowley (18), while Teresa Thompson (7) was the gross winner. Deirdre McKay (30) was the five-day winner with 60 points.