PAUL CUTLER, the Portstewart golfer who reached the British Amateur Championship quarter-finals at Muirfield yesterday before going down to the South Korean, Jin Jeong, won’t need to contest the weekend’s 36-hole qualifying procedure for the Golfsure Irish Close Championship at Royal Dublin.

AFTER finishing runner-up in four previous championships, Rory Leonard finally won the big one when he lifted the Radisson-Blu West of Ireland trophy at Rosses Point yesterday.

The line-up for tomorrow's semi-final in the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at Belvoir Park in Belfast is Paul O'Hanlon from the Curragh against Scrabo's Andrew McCormick and Newlands' player Cian Curley against his friend Dara Lernihan from the Castle.

Irish Close champion Shane Lowry beat the Castle's Ryan Boal at the 20th to clinch his place in Wednesday's West of Ireland Championship semi-finals at Rosses Point.

Five Irish internationals have made an early exit from the West of Ireland championship at Rosses Point.

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.

IN his earlier incarnation, Tom Nolan knew about the intensity of playing top level inter-county hurling at senior, U21 and minor levels.

Galway overcame Knock at Enniscrone Golf Club to win the Senior Cup today.

CORK’S hopes of achieving an historic golfing double were dashed yesterday when they lost to Knock in the most dramatic of circumstances in the semi-final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup.

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.

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.

Banbridge 24-year-old Connor Doran collected the silver medal as leading qualifier in the Magners' North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Royal Portrush this evening.

Former international Michael Sinclair who won the North of Ireland Championship at Royal Portrush in 1997 is making a brave effort to regain the title.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is still on course for the Radisson SAS West of Ireland title at Rosses Point after producing a stellar performance to beat Scrabo’s Ryan Boal with a birdie at the 20th in the first round.

SOUTH of Ireland winner Cian McNamara (Limerick) and runner-up Greg Bowden (Hermitage) are the two new caps in the Irish team for the Home Internationals at Prestwick on September 8-10.

There are two new caps on the team selected to represent Ireland in the men’s Home Internationals from 8th-10th September at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.

STACKSTOWN'S Mark Campbell produced his best ever round at Baltray to grab the halfway lead in the East of Ireland Amateur championship in Co Louth.

AARON O’CALLAGHAN, winner of this year’s Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star award for golf, is one of a number of entries for the British Amateur Championship beginning at St Andrews on Monday.

FAILURE to complete the Grand Slam and win the Triple Crown for only the third time was something of a disappointment for the players and the galleries but Ireland still captured the Home International Championship and the Raymond Trophy at Ballybunion yesterday.

Charlie Mulqueen, Ballybunion

BOTH the Irish mens and ladies senior golf teams show changes from the original selections for the Home International series at Ballybunion and Cruden Bay respectively.

Gareth Maybin (Ballyclare) and Colm Moriarty (Athlone) have withdrawn from the Irish team for the Home Internationals at Ballybunion Golf Club on September 17 to 19. They are replaced by Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) and Michael Sinclair (Knock).

Mullingar’s John Morris opened with a five under par 67 to take a one shot lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Louth yesterday.

There are three changes in both the mens and womens Ulster teams for the Inter-provincial championships next month.