Wondrous dreams aren’t always realised and Mallow’s James Sugrue and Ronan Mullarney from Galway scarcely harboured thoughts of playing in the British and US Opens and the US Masters when they entered this week’s British Amateur Championship at Portmarnock.

Charlie Mulqueen Mallow’s James Sugrue and Ronan Mullarney from Galway produced outstanding performances at Portmarnock yesterday to keep Irish interest very much alive into this morning’s third round of the British Amateur Championship.

James Sugrue from Mallow defied incredible pressure over the closing holes at The Island links yesterday to clinch his place in today’s matchplay stages of the 124th British Amateur Championship at Portmarnock.

A week that could herald the beginning of the demise of Portmarnock Golf Club as the natural home for some of the game’s most prestigious events got under way yesterday with the first of two qualifying rounds for the 124th Amateur Championship.

Conor Purcell missed out on his country’s blue-riband amateur title as the Flogas Irish Amateur Open went to England’s James Newton — but Ireland’s highest-ranked player hopes his runner-up finish at Co Sligo impressed the watching Walker Cup selectors.

Galway’s Ronan Mullarney will take a healthy four-shot lead into today’s second round at the Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship after setting the pace with a course-record and career-low 62 in Sligo.

Tiarnan McLarnon won the Lee Valley Scratch Cup in style yesterday.

Kinsale teenager John Murphy led a quintet of Irishmen safely through to the matchplay stages of the 123rd Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links.

Rowan Lester is just five shots off the lead at the 123rd Amateur Championship after a superb opening round at Murcar Links.

Eoghan Long won the 36-hole Douglas Senior Scratch Cup on Sunday.

Gary O’Flaherty retained his Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup yesterday after he posted a solid level par final round 72 in blustery conditions.

Ireland’s Paul Dunne got of to a superb start in the Open de Espana, shooting an opening round 66 that included five birdies and an eagle to share the lead with Scotland’s Marc Warren.

Robin Dawson might be the world No 98 and a recent star performer in the Bonallack Trophy but he admits he’d love to add an amateur “major” to his trophy cabinet should he eventually make the move into the professional ranks.

There was relief as much as joy for Galway Golf Club at Carton House as the pain of a third successive Barton Shield final defeat was erased with victory in the blue riband event at the AIG Cups and Shields on Saturday.

A pre-finals pep talk from All-Ireland hurling hero Joe Canning has helped Galway Golf Club return to today’s AIG Barton Shield decider at Carton House, where they will bid to avenge last year’s defeat to Warrenpoint.

The GUI’s annual AIG Cups and Shields All-Ireland finals look primed to get off to a blistering start this morning when Munster champions Tralee meet Connacht kingpins Galway in the first Barton Shield semi-final.

Athenry schoolboy David Kitt could become the youngest winner of the AIG Irish Amateur Close since Rory McIlroy in 2006 after cruising into the semi-finals in impressive style on a day of shocks at Galway Golf Club.

Tramore’s Robin Dawson remains on course for his maiden championship success after he battled winds gusting up to 40km/h to reach the last 16 of the AIG Irish Amateur Close at Galway.

After a series of outstanding matches throughout the provinces, the way has now been largely paved for the national finals of the AIG Irish Cups and Shields at the O’Meara Course, Carton House, Kildare next month, (September 20-23).

Conor O’Rourke will spearhead the Irish attack as 16 stars travel to Scotland for the start of St Andrews Links Trophy today.

A dramatic 45 foot birdie putt on the 18th green at Fota Island last evening by Ulster’s Ben Best foiled Connacht of a famous victory on the second day of the Interprovincial Championship. The match ended 5½ points apiece, leaving Leinster, who defeated Munster 8-3, the favourites to retain the title when they take on Ulster in today’s decider.

Ballybunion drew on their mix of youth and experience to capture the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield for the first time since 1979 and guarantee that an All-Ireland title headed back to the Kingdom before a ball was kicked in anger at Croke Park.

Dublin might be waiting to take on Kerry in Sunday’s All Ireland Football final but it was a Mayo man who was beaming brightly at Carton House yesterday as Royal Dublin ended their 47-year wait for victory in the AIG Barton Shield.

Galway and Royal Dublin’s Barton Shield sides will provide the high quality golf in today’s AlG Cups and Shields National finals but all the excitement may well come from the minnows in the Pierce Purcell Shield semi-finals at Carton House.

It was a bad day for Munster golf as Muskerry and Douglas crashed out in their respective semi-finals of the AIG Cups and Shields National Finals at Carton House.

It’s like the Champions League of golf but unlike the continent’s premier football tournament which has yet to be retained by any club, Muskerry’s Niall Gorey is hopeful the Cork club can become the first back-to-back winners of the AIG Barton Shield for 18 years.

A Maynooth University team of considerable talent has emerged as warm favourites to capture the AIG Irish Senior Cup, having come through the Leinster qualifying section in highly impressive fashion.

With handicaps ranging from plus 4 to 1.1, the high quality of the entry for the West Coast Hotels sponsored South of Ireland Championship beginning at Lahinch this morning is a source of considerable satisfaction for the organising committee.

Sligo golfer Barry Anderson birdied each of Little Island’s three par-three holes in yesterday’s final round of the Munster Open Stroke Play Championship to capture the title by two strokes from home club member Gary O’Flaherty and Royal Dublin’s Richard Knightley.

Ireland were celebrating last night after clinching the Boys’ Home Internationals title &for the first time since 2010 after a gripping final day at Forest Pines in North Lincolnshire.

Irish Amateur Open champion Robbie Cannon angrily headed to Lahinch last night gunning for more South of Ireland glory after being sensationally left out of the 11-man Ireland team for next month’s Home Internationals at Ganton in England.

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.