Ireland swept into the quarter-finals of the European Amateur Team Championships at Silkeborg in Denmark yesterday and will play seventh placed qualifiers, the Netherlands, in the first matchplay contest today.

He might have been watched by 60 years-old Des Smyth, but Niall Gorey is determined to become the oldest swinger in town by breaking his championship duck in the West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point today.

Ireland finished a highly-creditable third in the European Nations Cup after a splendid final day at Sotogrande.

Rory McNamara produced a Houdini act to edge dramatically into the third round of the 117th Amateur Championship at Royal Troon on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast yesterday.

Shane Lowry continued to display his fondness for the Blackstone course on day two of the Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul.

Stephen Healy (Claremorris) will represent the home province on the final day of the Radisson Blu-sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Rosses Point today after a clear-cut 4 and 3 triumph over Nicholas Grant (Knock) in their quarter-final yesterday.

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.

Portstewart's Paul Cutler and Portmarnock’s James Fox fired three-under-par 69s to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at fast-running Baltray.

Gale force winds sent scores soaring in the opening round of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

LADIES representing a dozen Irish golf clubs will tee it up alongside the world’s best in the AIB Ladies Irish Open Pro-Am at Portmarnock Links on July 10.

The final of the inaugural All-Ireland AA Insurance Ladies Championships gets underway at Headfort Golf Club this Wednesday, October 4.

Alison Murdoch has once again travelled from Canada to defend her Irish title at the ILGU Seniors Open Strokeplay Championship, Woodbrook Golf Club, September 11-12.

Leinster look to defend their Ladies Interprovincial title when the three-day tournament starts at Headfort Golf Club, Kells, Co Meath, on August 2-4.

Warrenpoint’s Jim Carvill got his title defence off to a winning start in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch today.

IRISH YOUTHS AMATEUR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006

KILKENNY’S Gary Murphy needs to win the £1m Mallorca Classic at Pula to ensure qualification for next week’s season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

HOLDERS Munster retained the GUI Boys Interprovincial Championship played at Portumna Golf Club yesterday.

Des Smyth, winner of the Madiera Open this season, has brought his total of Smurfit PGA Irish Championship wins to six with a three shots win over the holder Paul mcGinley at Castlerock.