Greystones’ Paul Dunne fired an eagle and six birdies in a sensational second round 65 to top the final qualifying for The Open at Woburn and clinch his place at St Andrews later this month.

Greystones’ Paul Dunne survived the shock of nearly missing his tee time and went on to become the first Irish amateur to come through Final Qualifying for the British Open for 27 years.

Seven Irishmen will pursue their Open Championship dream by joining the scramble for 12 golden tickets for Hoylake at four Final Qualifying venues today.

Sq m: 134 (1,450 sq ft)

Former Irish rugby star Reggie Corrigan has begun an unfair dismissal action against the Leinster branch of the IRFU after his contract as scrum coach was not renewed in 2012.

R&A chief executive Peter Dawson believes a new international qualifying series for the Open Championship will be more “rigorous” than International Final Qualifying which it replaces.

Women fitted with faulty breast implants are having difficulty serving breach of contract and damages claims on a foreign-based parent company of the Irish clinic that carried out the surgery.

A Roscommon woman, who had defective silicone gel prostheses implanted in her breasts, is to ask a court for judgment against the Dublin-based Harley Medical Group (Ireland) Limited.

A Co Roscommon woman, who had defective silicone gel prostheses implanted in her breasts, is to ask a court for judgment against the Dublin-based Harley Medical Group (Ireland) Limited.

Ireland’s hopes of a first Women’s Home International victory since 2004 were dealt a hammer blow on the opening day as the hosts were trounced 9-0 by England at Cork Golf Club.

A new state-of-the-art centre for children with disabilities has been opened in Co. Cavan.

RORY MCILROY has set up the possibility of a special Sunday for himself and girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.

PAUL CUTLER reproduced the sort of form yesterday that has brought him so many honours over the past couple of years to sweep into the third round of the Amateur Championship at Hillside on the Lancashire coast.

IT’s tucked in under a cleft on a side road and the elevation gives this little cottage at Inniscarra views over the weir at Ballincollig Regional Park in Cork.

A PRETTY bungalow on a lovely, established site at Aghada would be a great buy for those who love their gardens, their views and a rural ambience.

ACCORDING to Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan, “Government policies” led to an abundance of job creation in Ireland (speech, June 4, 2004) during the so-called Celtic Tiger period while “external factors” led to jobs being lost in our economy.

TRANSPORT Minister Noel Dempsey says he has no funds for repair of the roads damaged by the recent ice, snow and heavy rain. I can point him towards a related fund which did not exist this time last year.

REGARDING the lack of funding available to local authorities for gritting of roads during this extended icy spell, I suggest the Government allocate some of the monies it is collecting from the so-called carbon taxes in the recent budget to such a purpose while we await global warming to kick in.

FROM champions to wooden spoonists in the space of 12 months — that was the story for Ireland yesterday as the Men’s Amateur Home Internationals ended at Hillside on the Lancashire coast.

IRELAND lost their Amateur Home International title at Hillside on the Lancashire coast yesterday when they lost 9½-5½ to England.

From next year final qualifying for the Open will be staged a week earlier and will be 36 holes in one day rather than spread over two.

A “CONTRITE” Fianna Fáil TD who received a one-year driving ban yesterday for drink driving said he wants to get back to work for his constituents.

Calmer conditions greeted the early starters in the second round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale today.

Philip Walton, Europe’s Ryder Cup match-winning hero in 1995, and 1999 runner-up Jean Van de Velde are among 12 players to have come through the 36-hole final qualifying for next week’s Open Championship.

Jean Van de Velde kept alive his hopes of returning to the Open Championship with a two-under-par 70 in final qualifying at Hillside today – and was then promised protection for the second round.

A week that began badly for Thomas Bjorn ended no better today when he withdrew from the final round of the European Open at The London Club.

YOU’LL need to put on a bit of a push to bring Hillside, on Cork’s Boreenmanna Road, fully up to speed, but it’ll be worth it.

THERE have been one or two serious negatives, but on balance Jim Carvill’s return earlier this year to the amateur game after 15 years as a professional has proven a great success.

ONE of the London bombers visited the Houses of Parliament last year as a guest of a MP, Britain’s Labour Party confirmed last night.

One of the London bombers visited the Houses of Parliament as a guest of an MP, the British Labour Party confirmed tonight.

Brian McElhinney, winner of the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale last weekend heads Ireland’s team for the European Team Championship which will be played over the Hillside course in Southport, England, from June 28 to July 2.

YOUR columnist Terry Prone’s views of Aer Arann are not shared by me (Irish Examiner, January 24).

THE Lough wildlife sanctuary is one of Cork city’s very few suburban amenity areas: the southern city has few jewels to compare with Dublin’s numerous public parks.

Jean Van de Velde and Ian Woosnam could be fighting it out for a place in the Open in three weeks’ time.