Tramore Golf Club go into today’s AIG Senior Cup semi-finals at Carton House hoping third time will be the charm for their team after national finals disappointments in 2011 and 2012.

Weekend wins for Rosslare in Irish Senior Cup Leinster section and Warrenpoint in the Barton Shield in Ulster have confirmed the field for the national finals of the AIG Cups and Shields at Carton House, Kildare next month.

The last time a former European Tour player returned as a reinstated amateur to tee it up in the East of Ireland at Baltray, Jim Carvill led by nine shots with a round to go, in 2005, and won the title by three.

NUI Maynooth struck a blow for Irish college golf yesterday as their Paddy Harrington scholars lifted the coveted Barton Shield on the second day of the All-Ireland Cups and Shields finals at Kinsale Golf Club.

Today’s Barton Shield final at Kinsale Golf Club promises to be a classic battle between youth and experience as the young guns of NUI Maynooth vie with Banbridge for an All-Ireland title at the Chartis-sponsored Cups & Shields National Finals.

The 2012 cups and shields get off to flying start at Kinsale Golf Club today with the Barton Shield semi-finals.

FOR a pleasant change, all four South of Ireland semi-finalists at Lahinch this morning are career amateurs, men who work during the day and play golf in their spare time.

Forrest Little's Eoin Arthurs fired a course record 68 to take the first round lead in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin yesterday.

ULSTER redhead Darren Crowe and Limerick’s Pat Murray will be hoping for better luck over the coming days in the South of Ireland Golf Championship at Lahinch.

Baltray's Simon Ward scorched to a six under par 66 to lead the Irish

Muskerry's Niall Turner closed with an eagle three to lead the Irish

Walker Cup hopeful Jonathan Caldwell staked a strong claim for selection in yesterday's Irish Amatuer Close Championship at Cork, where he shot a five under par 67 to lead the field after day one.

Walker Cup hopefuls Simon Ward and Jonathan Caldwell will lead the chase for the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth on Saturday.

Walker Cup skipper Colin Dalgleish has hailed Holywood star Rory McIlroy as a similar talent to Spanish wonderkid Sergio Garcia.

Rory McIlroy was in form again today as Ulster secured the Interprovincial Championship crown at Ballyliffin.

Ulster and Leinster today enjoyed convincing Interprovicial victories at the Ballyliffin Golf Club.

Ulster and Leinster both hold comfortable leads at the Interprovincial Championship at Ballyliffin after today's action.

Holder Jim Carvill said goodbye to the South of Ireland title on a wet and windy afternoon at Lahinch.

Warrenpoint’s Jim Carvill got his title defence off to a winning start in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch today.

Warrenpoint senior international and former professional Jim Carvill was put out of the North of Ireland Championship in the second round by Ballymena scratch handicapper Alex McCoy at Royal Portrush today.

Rory McIlroy's dream of winning the British Amateur Championship ended in tears when food poisoning forced him to withdraw.

Irish champion Rory McIlroy crashed to a disappointing seven-over-par 78 in the first qualifying round of the British Amateur Championship at Royal St George's in Kent.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy has set his sights on Tiger Woods' course record in the Irish Close at the European Club.

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell found his putting touch to lead at the halfway stage in the East of Ireland Championship at Baltray.

Chile's Hugo Leon carded a brilliant five-under-par 67 to grab the clubhouse lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Baltray.

Chile's Hugo Leon carded a brilliant five under par 67 to grab the clubhouse lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Baltray.

Irish champion Rory McIlroy gave his Walker Cup chances a boost when he finished third in the prestigious Lytham Trophy.

GRANTS totalling €65,000 were awarded by the Irish Sports Council to leading Irish golfers.

GALWAY’S dream of an unprecedented hat-trick at the Bulmers inter-club festival of golf was shattered at Rosslare yesterday when they lost in agonising fashion in the finals of both the Barton Shield and Irish Junior Cup.

GALWAY’S golfers are all set to atone for the defeat of their hurlers by Cork in Sunday’s All-Ireland final following a fruitful opening day in the Bulmers inter-club festival at Rosslare.

GALWAY GOLF CLUB go in search of a rare treble at Rosslare this week when they contest the finals of the Bulmers Irish Senior and Junior Cups and Barton Shield.

Irish close champion, Rory McIlroy (Holywood) is one of four new caps included in the Ireland team for the Home Internationals which will be played at Royal St. George's Golf Club, Sandwich,England on September 7-9.

Pre-Championship favourites Ulster captured the Golfsure sponsored Interprovincial

FIFTEEN years ago, Warrenpoint’s Jim Carvill travelled to Lahinch for his first South of Ireland Championship.

DARREN CROWE, a 24-year-old full-time golfer from Dunmurry, meets Pat Murray, 34, secretary/manager at Limerick Golf Club, in the first semi-final of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch this morning.

THERE have been one or two serious negatives, but on balance Jim Carvill’s return earlier this year to the amateur game after 15 years as a professional has proven a great success.

LIMERICK teenager Cian McNamara faces strong opposition in his bid to retain his South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch over the next five days.

OLIN BROWNE fired a spectacular 59 to grab one of the final spots in the US Open - after almost withdrawing from the qualifying tournament in Maryland.

Brian McElhinney, winner of the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale last weekend heads Ireland’s team for the European Team Championship which will be played over the Hillside course in Southport, England, from June 28 to July 2.