Arthur Pierse has been coming to Lahinch for more than 40 years in search of the Clare Coast Hotels South of Ireland Championship.

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.

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.

On a weekend of unbelievable tension, resilient Cork Golf Club brought off magnificent double in the Munster provincial finals staged on the Mahony’s Point course in Killarney.

THE youngest and oldest players in the field met with mixed fortunes in yesterday’s second round of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch.

BANDON and Doneraile bid for notable doubles when the Munster finals of the Bulmers Irish Senior and Junior Cups and Barton Shield take place at Castletroy this weekend.

WHILE housing development in the Limerick regeneration plan has yet to take off, another sports facility was yesterday officially opened as part of the social and recreational part of the proposed transformation programme.

The presence of military instruction manuals found in the bedroom of a man accused of IRA membership should be viewed as “very very normal” and nothing more than a young man’s passing interest, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

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.

VIOLET Turnbull has had a lifelong thirst for education. And she’s not letting up.

CO SLIGO comfortably disposed of Limerick by seven holes in a one-sided Bulmers Barton Shield final at Enniscrone yesterday.

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.

YOUR report headlined ‘Scramble to see the light at Newgrange’ (Irish Examiner, December 21) described Ireland’s greatest monument as a tomb.

A BITTERLY disappointing week for sport in the west worsened still further yesterday with Galway Golf Club’s defeat by North West in the semi-final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup.

Teen sensation Cian McNamara produced two stunning extra time comebacks to win the Shell Ireland sponsored South of Ireland title at Lahinch.

FOUR of Ireland’s finest have qualified for this morning’s semi-finals of the Shell South of Ireland at Lahinch.

NOEL PYNE first played in the Shell South of Ireland Championship when still a leaving certificate student at St Flannan’s College, Ennis.

THE Mens Irish Senior Cup was reduced to the last four in Munster with Castletroy, Douglas, Tramore and Mallow advancing to the provincial semi-finals.

A WEEKEND holding out so much promise for Clare opened on the brightest possible note at Galway yesterday when Woodstock captured their first national pennant with a convincing Pierce Purcell Shield final victory over Moyola Park from Co Derry.