Owen Casey and Peter Clarke enjoyed an untroubled passage into the quarter-finals of the Irish Close Championship at Donnybrook yesterday.

With both players vying for a prime singles spot in the Irish team for next week's Davis Cup fixture against Goran Ivanisevic's Croatia, they were not prepared to give an inch, and their opponents suffered as a consequence. "I treat every match as a final, it's the only attitude to have in this game," said Casey after a decisive 6-1, 6-0 victory over James Colhoun. Colhoun did manage to get to break point in the fourth game of the second set, although Casey replied with a service winner.

Blackrock schoolboy Gareth Doran, who models his game on that of his older brother, Davis Cup player John, faced an impossible task against full-timer Clarke, who won 6-1, 6-2. Although Doran contested many of the rallies, he was unable to make an impression on the scoreboard.

"He (Clarke) served better and I lost out too often on the essential point," said Doran, who will attempt to retain the National Under-16 championship at Fitzwilliam next month. Although he played on the US circuit last week, Clarke has clearly rid himself of jet lag and poses an obvious threat to Casey.

Mens Singles - Second round: O Casey bt J Colhoun 6-1 6-0; G McGill bt C Dolan 6-1 6-0; C Niland bt B Hassett 6-0 6-1; P Clarke bt G Doran 6-1 6-2; S Taylor bt R Niland 6-4 6-2; C Taylor bt W Hudson 6-0 6-2; S Nugent bt J Nolan 6-0 6-0; N Fagan bt R Neiland 7-5 7-6.

Womens Singles - Second round: G Niland bt C Hannigan 6-1 6-1; S Campbell bt M O'Meara 6-1 6-3; E O'Riain bt M Cashman 6-1 61.