Walker Cup place for Gribben

Paddy Gribben will be Ireland's sole representative on the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team to face the United States at Nairn Golf Club on Saturday and Sunday, September 11th and 12th.

Gribben (30), is the current European Amateur Strokeplay champion and also the holder of the North of Ireland championship, which he won at Royal Portrush last month. The Warrenpoint player will be joined by four other members of the successful Eisenhower Trophy team: Gary Wolstenholme, Graham Rankin, Luke Donald and Lorne Kelly.

Wolstenholme and Rankin are the only survivors from the 1997 side, both having also played in 1995. Wolstenholme (38), first played at international level for England in 1988, while 33-year-old Rankin is last year's Scottish Amateur champion.

British Amateur champion Graeme Storm (21), is also in the 10-man team along with English champion Paul Casey (22), and 21-year-old Simon Dyson.

Fellow youngsters Philip Rowe (21), one of six Englishmen, and Mortonhall's David Patrick (24), complete the line-up.

Chairman of selectors Peter Benka said: "We have a very solid looking team. As holders of the Eisenhower Trophy, we go into this match as world champions and I am very excited about our prospects.

"What counts now is to produce the right performance on the day and I am confident that our experienced captain, Peter McEvoy, can achieve this for the team."

The Walker Cup, first contested in New York in 1922, has been won 31 times by the USA with Britain and Ireland claiming just four victories with one match halved.

Beaverstown's Martina Gillen spearheaded the Irish challenge in the British Girls' Open Amateur championship at High Post, Wiltshire yesterday. Playing in the championship for only the second time, the 17-year-old Munster Girls' title holder, a four handicapper returned a highly creditable one over par 74 to put herself in line for a healthy position in the knock-out stages following today's second round.

It was a solid all round performance by Gillen, who was bitterly disappointed at missing a putt of four feet on the home green.