A week that could herald the beginning of the demise of Portmarnock Golf Club as the natural home for some of the game’s most prestigious events got under way yesterday with the first of two qualifying rounds for the 124th Amateur Championship.

A delighted James Sugrue was one of five leading Irish amateur golfers celebrating call-ups to an extended Great Britain & Ireland squad ahead of the 47th Walker Cup match against the United States at Royal Liverpool this September.

Mallow’s James Sugrue is lurking just four strokes off the lead in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship at a sun-kissed County Sligo.

Peter O’Keeffe can become the first man since Pádraig Harrington to complete a famous double after he saw off Kinsale’s John Murphy to reach the last 16 of the AIG Irish Amateur Close at the European Club.

Kinsale’s John Murphy tees it up in the AIG Irish Amateur Close at the European Club today determined to head back to the US with another major title in his carry-on luggage.

Caolan Rafferty pushed aside disappointment and made a little piece of history with a 20th-green victory over Rowan Lester, in yesterday’s final of the 117th South of Ireland Championship, in Lahinch.

Kinsale’s John Murphy will make his senior debut for Ireland in the European Amateur Team Championship in Germany next month.

Kinsale teenager John Murphy led a quintet of Irishmen safely through to the matchplay stages of the 123rd Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links.

Rowan Lester is just five shots off the lead at the 123rd Amateur Championship after a superb opening round at Murcar Links.

South Africa’s Christo Lamprecht became the youngest winner in the 76-year history of the East of Ireland Amateur Open — and the first from overseas — at a sun-baked County Louth.

Eoghan Long won the 36-hole Douglas Senior Scratch Cup on Sunday.

Robin Dawson might be the world No 98 and a recent star performer in the Bonallack Trophy but he admits he’d love to add an amateur “major” to his trophy cabinet should he eventually make the move into the professional ranks.

Athenry schoolboy David Kitt could become the youngest winner of the AIG Irish Amateur Close since Rory McIlroy in 2006 after cruising into the semi-finals in impressive style on a day of shocks at Galway Golf Club.

Tramore’s Robin Dawson remains on course for his maiden championship success after he battled winds gusting up to 40km/h to reach the last 16 of the AIG Irish Amateur Close at Galway.

Chemistry student Peter Kerr is hoping he can come up with the magic formula and win his maiden championship after leading the qualifiers for the matchplay stages of the AIG Amateur Close at Galway.

Golf

Paul McBride’s hopes of Amateur Championship glory were dashed yesterday with defeat by two holes at the hands of Englishman Harry Ellis in their quarter-final on the Kent coast.

Paul McBride is the only Irish star left standing in the 122nd Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s on the Kent coast.

Caolan Rafferty showed his title credentials as he beat Frenchman David Ravetto to cruise into the last 32 of the 122nd Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s, Sandwich on the Kent coast.

Conor O’Rourke will spearhead the Irish attack as 16 stars travel to Scotland for the start of St Andrews Links Trophy today.

Castle’s Alex Gleeson is dreaming of landing his maiden “major” after breaking the heart of Tramore’s Robin Dawson for the second year running in the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship.

A dramatic 45 foot birdie putt on the 18th green at Fota Island last evening by Ulster’s Ben Best foiled Connacht of a famous victory on the second day of the Interprovincial Championship. The match ended 5½ points apiece, leaving Leinster, who defeated Munster 8-3, the favourites to retain the title when they take on Ulster in today’s decider.

Kieran McGeeney fears supporters may have to be segregated in the future because of how the media perceives Ulster teams as cynical and over-physical.

Former Galway manager John McIntyre yesterday revealed captain David Collins, vice-captain Andy Smith and 2014 captain Joe Canning and David Burke as the four players who informed Anthony Cunningham that the squad did not want him to continue as manager.

Memories of the 1987 final at Tramore will be revived this week when the AIG Irish Close Championship takes place over the outstanding seaside layout for the third time.

Armagh 2-17 Wicklow 2-7: Shooting practice will be taking centre stage at Armagh training sessions over the next two weeks, with Kieran McGeeney labelling some of their misses in the Athletic Grounds on Saturday as "criminal".

The hard work was completed in the week prior to this match. Irrespective of how the game went, Armagh were looking for a win-win.

It was bound to happen. Just as all good things must come to an end, so too must the bad ones and so it was that Brendan Fitzpatrick on March 28 ended a barren goal streak in the league for Cavan that stretched back to last spring.

Armagh 0-16 Fermanagh 0-11: It may ‘only’ have been the Division Three Allianz league final, but Armagh showed enough in Croke Park on Saturday night to suggest they have the tools to become a team worth fearing again.

Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty claimed the bragging rights after the first round of strokeplay at the Radisson West of Ireland Golf Championship at a windswept Rosses Point yesterday.

Ulster champions Monaghan last night confirmed an unchanged line up for tomorrow’s semi-final clash with Armagh.

ULSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

Armagh 1-12 Cavan 0-9

Sometimes it takes a step back in order to move forward and that has certainly been the case for Michael McDermott.

Donegal moved back to the top of Division 2 this afternoon as they defeated Monaghan 2-11 to 0-10 in a repeat of last year's Ulster final in Letterkenny.

Galway 1-11 Armagh 0-9

Armagh will field an unchanged team for the third match running when they travel to Salthill to take on Galway in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers on Saturday.

Armagh 8-13 Leitrim 0-10

Armagh manager Paul Grimley is confident that the team that throttled Wicklow can get the required result against Leitrim in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC second round qualifier in Carrick-on-Shannon (throw-in 5pm).

Armagh 2-21 Wicklow 0-02

Cavan 1-15 Armagh 1-11

Cavan will have two Championship debutants in their team when they host Armagh in Sunday's Ulster SFC preliminary round tie at Kingspan Breffni Park (throw-in 2pm).