Simon Thornton is best of the Irish after the opening two rounds of the Qualifying School Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort in north-east Spain.

Golf fans will need to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to arrive in good time at Fota Island to watch the marquee draw in the first round of the Irish Open Championship.

Oulart the Ballagh 0-20 Clara 2-11

Ireland swing into action in the Men’s Amateur Home Internationals at Ganton in Yorkshire today in buoyant mood after several of their players staged fine performances in recent events.

Clara (Kilkenny) 0-19 Silvermines (Tipperary) 1-14 (aet)

Clara (Kilkenny) 3-20 Oylegate/Glenbrien (Wexford) 0-5

Connacht, who bridged a 28 year gap when capturing the title at Rosses Point last year, begin their defence of the Interprovincial Championship this morning with a difficult match against Munster at Royal Co Down.

A ROUSING second-half recovery wasn’t enough to rescue Waterford champions Ballinameela in yesterday’s Munster Club JHC semi-final in Cappamore as their hosts had already done the damage before the break.

DEFENDING champion Alan Dunbar hopes his batteries will be recharged when he tees it up at Royal Dublin this morning and takes on six of his fellow Walker Cup squad members in the Irish Amateur Open.

CUP rugby is often about inspirational moments and Rockwell produced one gem to settle this intense Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup clash at Clanwilliam yesterday.

IT wasn’t always easy, but Crescent Comprehensive were worthy winners of yesterday’s Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup clash with Limerick city rivals Ard Scoil Rís at Dooradoyle.

Offaly 0-15 Waterford 0-10

A WELL-DRILLED, highly-skilled Limerick were far too strong for Waterford in this opening round of the Munster MFC in Kilmallock last night, qualifying for a semi-final meeting with Kerry and condemning the Déise boys to a backdoor meeting with Clare on Monday evening next.

FAVOURITES Presentation Brothers College overcame the dogged resistance of Ard Scoil Rís to confidently move into the quarter finals of the Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup at Rosbrien yesterday.