Ireland’s defence of the Sue Johnson Trophy faltered yesterday as they capitulated in the afternoon’s singles to lose 5½-2½ to England at the Senior Women’s Home Internationals in Huddersfield.

Paul McGinley declared he would be taking a backseat role but there was no hiding the enthusiasm of the European Ryder Cup captain on the opening day of the Seve Trophy near Versailles.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has expressed disappointment Shane Lowry is not in France for the Seve Trophy, commencing in France today.

Ireland made golfing history at the weekend by becoming the first country to win both the senior men’s and women’s Team Championships in the same year.

Helen Jones fell away disappointingly in the third and final round of the Irish Senior Womens Open Championship at Royal Belfast yesterday and Finland’s Minna Kaarnalahti was able to comfortably retain her title.

Ireland suffered heartache in a dramatic climax to the Men’s Amateur Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes on the Ayrshire coast last night as their title disappeared in the dying moments of the round-robin series.

HOLDERS and hot favourites Royal Portrush play Claremorris in the Irish Senior Ladies Cup semi-final at Malone GC, Belfast today.

Leading qualifier Tara Delaney cruised into the last 16 of the Lancôme Irish Ladies Close Championship with a 3 and 1 win over Charlotte Crowe at Lahinch today.

Carlow's Tara Delaney led the qualifiers in the Lancôme Irish Ladies’

Galway's Sinead O’Sullivan hit a brilliant level-par 74 today to lead the Lancôme Irish Ladies’ Close Championship after the first qualifying round at windswept Lahinch.

Tricia Mangan (Ennis), fresh from her seventh-place finish at the Welsh Open Strokeplay, defends her Lancome Irish Ladies’ Close Championship at The European Club, Co Wicklow, May 13 to 17.