Ireland made golfing history at the weekend by becoming the first country to win both the senior men’s and women’s Team Championships in the same year.

Irish amateur star Alan Dunbar survived a collapse over the closing seven holes at Wychwood Park before managing to squeeze through to the second stage of European Tour qualifying.

Ireland were denied a fifth consecutive senior men’s Home International title at Southerndown on the south Wales coast yesterday by a much-improved England outfit.

Helen Jones fell away disappointingly in the third and final round of the Irish Senior Womens Open Championship at Royal Belfast yesterday and Finland’s Minna Kaarnalahti was able to comfortably retain her title.

Having withstood the worst the wet weather can throw at it, Fota Island’s Deerpark course welcomes the return of the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour today for the second Audi Cork Irish Masters.

IRELAND’S bid to win the Women’s Senior Home International Championship for the first time since it was inaugurated in 2003 got off to a good start yesterday as they beat last year’s wooden spoonists Scotland 5-3 at Tramore.

IRELAND won the Men’s Senior Home International Championship for an unprecedented fourth successive year at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire yesterday and completed the Triple Crown with a 7-2 trouncing of England.

IRELAND made a flying start to their bid for a first Women’s Home International title for six years when they demolished England in the sunshine over the Whitchurch course in Cardiff yesterday.