Youths aiming to see off Island invaders

Amateur Scene/ European Youths' Team Championships: The most talented crop of Europe's youths will test their skills at The Island Golf Club, Donabate, over the next five days in the European Youths' Team Championship, which tees off this morning at the North Dublin venue.

Ireland last staged this championship in 1984, at the Hermitage Golf Club in Dublin, and team captain Michael Burns will be looking for a repeat of that performance, when Ireland beat Denmark in the final.

"The team is in fine form and can't wait to get going," said Burns. "All the hard work has been done; a great effort has been put in during the year to reach this stage. It's a big occasion for all the team, but they are well up to the task ahead over the next five day."

Niall Turner is the only Irish player with experience at this level, having been a member of last year's side, but as Burns explains, all have experience at Boys level.

"There are no stars on the team - all can do a job equally," he said. "I have no problem with the selection as any member is capable of playing with all the others.

"This is a great stage for young players, but they must be ready to move up to the next level, and this team is ready for that."

According to Burns, all the players like the course.

"They've had a number of runs over this excellent links. Local knowledge is very important and none more so than here at The Island, where the wind can play a very important part in shot selection.

"A little more breeze off the sea would suit very well."

The title holders are Sweden, who again will be among the favourites. But Spain, with former British Boys champion Pablo Martin in their side, are also expected to be in the final shake-up.

England come with a team of vast experience that includes Michael Skelton, a member of last year's successful Walker Cup team, the Lytham Trophy winner James Heath, Brabazon winner Matthew Richardson and full international Jamie Mould.

Skelton (20), enjoyed a highly successful 2003: he won the Welsh Open Amateur and finished runner-up in the English Championship, two performances that earned him a full England debut in the Home Internationals.

Then came the Walker Cup, and Skelton is a member of the squad for next year's matches in Chicago as well as a member of the England Elite squad. With Gary Lockerbie he won the Tailhade Cup in Argentina in November, and was a member of the England team that won the Sherry Cup in Spain earlier this year.

He was also called up for the international with France at Royal St George's last month.

Newly crowned Scottish Youths Strokeplay champion Wallace Booth heads the Scotland side. The 18-year-old from Crieff stormed to a 15-under-par total of 275 to win the title.

Booth, a B&I Boys internationalist, became the youngest Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit event winner when he lifted the North of Scotland Open in 2002 at the age of 17.

Currently a student at Augusta State University, Booth has represented Scotland in the last two European Boys Team Championships, and last year achieved the rare distinction of playing for Scotland at Boys, Youths and Senior level.

Wales can call on the British Boys Amateur Champion, Rhys Davies, who is also a full international. Davies played for the Britain and Ireland team against the Continent of Europe for the Jacques Leglise Trophy at Lahinch last year, winning three and halving one of four matches.

Davies, a student at the University of Tennessee, was born in Edinburgh when his father worked for the Scottish Sports Council and has also played cricket for England schoolboys.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, the recent winner of the Irish Youths Championship at Clandeboye, will lead a strong Irish side in the European Boys Team Championship at the Kymen Golf Club in Finland, which also starts today.

McIlroy (15), from the Holywood club, will be joined by the British Junior Open and Munster Youths champion Cian McNamara from Limerick, Karl Gilbert (Malone), David Daly (Muskerry), Nicky Grant (Clandeboye) and Aaron O'Callaghan of Douglas.

In a busy week for Irish amateur golf, the Irish Junior Women's team take on the rest of Europe at Royal Cinque Ports in Kent over the next five days.

The talented Tara Delaney from Carlow, runner-up in the Irish Close Championship at The Island Golf Club to Deirdre Smith, heads a strong Irish team that also includes Maria Dunne (Skerries), Gillian O'Leary (Cork), Sinéad O'Sullivan (Galway), Vicki Power (Brampton Park) and Catherine Tucker (Limerick).

Tipperary's Charlotte Crowe captains the team and the team manager is Jackie Quinn (Co Louth).

EuropeanYouthsChampionship:

The Format

Two qualifying rounds of 18 holes strokeplay (Tuesday and Wednesday) with the best five scores out of six to count each day.

The total aggregate of the 10 scores over the two days will constitute the team's score.

From the results of the strokeplay, the top eight teams will play off for the European title.

Matches in the top flight will consist of two foursomes and five singles. All the other matches will be played with one foursome and four singles.

TheIslandSchedule

TODAY: First qualifying round - 8.30 to 1.30. Tee-off 1st and 10th tees (Ireland - First Tee: 8.30 - S Crowe, 9.20 - N Turner, 12.40 - C O'Malley. 10th Tee: 9.20 - H Diamond, 12.30 - P O'Hanlon, 1.30 - C Bowe.

TOMORROW: Second qualifying round - 8.30 to 1.30. Tee-off 1st and 10th tees. (Ireland at 9.20, 12.30, 1.30).

THURSDAY: 7.30 Matchplay, First round.

FRIDAY: 7.30 Matchplay, second round.

SATURDAY: 7.30 Matchplay, Final round.

7.0 pm: Prizegiving Ceremony.