The sunny south-east lived up to its reputation in style at Tramore, Co Waterford, yesterday when the opening day of the AIG Irish Close Championship was favoured by glorious weather conditions.

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.

Paul McBride, a student at the famous golfing academy of Wake Forest in North Carolina which numbers Arnold Palmer, Eoghan O’Connell and Darren Clarke among its alumni, demonstrated once again at Lahinch yesterday that Malahide continues to produce young golfers of the highest calibre.

Irish marine industries can exceed €6.4bn a year in turnover by 2020 and double their contribution to GDP to 2.4% by 2030, states a new national roadmap for the sector.

Motorsport.

Motorsport

Muskerry, Limerick and Doneraile are chasing elusive doubles at this weekend’s Munster finals of the AIG Irish Senior and Junior Cups, along with the Barton Shield, at Shannon Golf Club.

When you are one of the championship favourites and things are going against you, there is always a good time to produce a shot out of the ordinary.

Motorsport: A strong performance over the first run of the stage paved the way for Lisburn’s Wesley Patterson (Ford Escort) and his co-driver Johnny Baird to claim victory in the Cloyne-based AceSigns-sponsored Imokilly Single Stage Rally.

The withdrawal of favourite Gary Hurley and Irish Close champion John Ross Galbraith has come as a major disappointment to organisers of the Clare Coast Hotels South of Ireland at Lahinch, which begins this morning.

Some caddies find it difficult to live by the age-old maxim to keep up and shut up but that’s no problem for JP Fitzgerald.

The Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3 WRC) made a bright start to Rally Poland – round seven of the World Rally Championship – and hold third place, seven seconds behind the VW Polo WRC of leaders Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia heading into today’s seven stages.

There’s nothing inhabitants of 19th holes across Ireland like more than a sporting debate and they, among others, will think Brian Keogh’s recently compiled list of the top 100 Irish amateur men is manna from heaven.

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

The Waterford-based Raven’s Rock Rally, round four of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, was stopped after six of the day’s nine stages after popular Dungarvan driver, Paul Mulcahy was killed when his Toyota Starlet collided with a stone fence on the fourth stage near Kilmacthomas.

There is a strong Irish presence in the Jim Clark International Rally, the second round of British Rally Championship, that begins with a stage around the streets of Duns in the Scottish borders this evening.

Nenagh’s Whitby Moynan (Toyota Special) clinched the Munster Autocross Championship in dramatic fashion with the fastest time on the fourth and final run of the Cork Autocross at Coachford yesterday.

Irish driver Craig Breen on board his Kel-Tech liveried Ford Fiesta won the S2000 World Rally Championship after he secured a category win on the Rally de Espana, the final round of the series.

Only one member of the Irish team for next month’s Home International Championship turned up for the South of Ireland at Lahinch over the weekend.

Noel Pyne reaches a remarkable milestone when he makes his 50th successive appearance in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch next Saturday.

Major champions Darren Clarke, Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy were fine-tuning their British Open preparations yesterday and so missed out on a special day at Mullingar Golf Club.

MEATH-BASED trainer Andy Lynch enjoyed a memorable evening in Roscommon last night, saddling his first double with Roley and Ahorsecalledmolly in the chase action.

YESTERDAY’S meeting at Fairyhouse was abandoned after just four races due to unsafe ground.

Irish interest in the Ryder Cup doesn’t stop at the three players and the two vice-captains. There’s also a trio of bagmen keeping their employers on the short grass. Charlie Mulqueen explains

AN overnight text from his brother, Freddie, coach to the Munster Branch, proved invaluable as Dwayne Twomey fashioned an unlikely win for Bandon over Co Sligo in yesterday’s semi-final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup at Castlebar.

PAT QUINLAN has suffered many disappointments in his 14 years representing Portumna in various inter-club competitions, so it was all the sweeter for the man from Ballinderry in North Tipperary that he should clinch their first Bulmers Irish Junior Cup triumph at Castlebar yesterday.

THE famous Gigginstown House Stud colours were carried to success by yet another of their promising young horses, Stonemaster, in the Meteor Mobile Novice Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

THE head of the Catholic Church in Ireland said he wanted to work towards a just resolution in a court case being taken against him by an alleged victim of clerical abuse.

RUBY WALSH and Tony Martin joined forces to land a double with Psycho and Tijuana Dancer at Clonmel yesterday.

WILLIE MULLINS continued his terrific campaign when landing a treble at Clonmel yesterday.

THE John Murphy-trained Newmill rekindled memories of the past when landing the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday.

John Murphy’s 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Newmill (11-2) proved there is still plenty of life in him yet with a battling display in the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles.

IN COMPLIANCE, having his first run since December of 2007, made a stunning return in the Thurles Chase at Thurles yesterday.

WINNING All-Ireland titles comes easily to some parts of the country, and Kilkenny were at it once again in glorious conditions at Tullamore yesterday.

THE finals of the Bulmers Irish Cups and Shields got off to a successful start in ideal conditions at Tullamore yesterday when Banbridge and Kilkenny produced golf of the highest calibre to qualify for today’s final of the Bulmers Barton Shield.

PAT MURRAY has the ideal opportunity to show the Irish selectors the error of their ways in the 108th South of Ireland Championship which begins at Lahinch today.

ANOTHER page in the remarkable history of the Mullins racing dynasty was written at Clonmel last night when Bachelor Affair provided Gerard Mullins with his first training success.

DAVID Casey, who will be in action for Willie Mullins in Auteuil on Sunday, continued his rich vein of form when scoring on even-money favourite Glenstal Abbey in the Summer BBQ Evening June 12th Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel last night.

SIZING EUROPE made a successful start to his chasing career when outclassing his 17 rivals in the Evening Meetings At Punchestown Beginners Chase.

CAIM HILL, off the track since September, and On The Way Out, ninth in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown, dead-heated at the end of a thriller for the Listed Surehaul Mercedes Novice Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

PERSIAN CITY was introduced at 40/1 by Cashmans for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham following his smooth success in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

AWAY WE GO put up a decent display of front-running to take the Martinstown Opportunity Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Eddie Power in very testing conditions at Limerick yesterday.