Nine of the eleven-strong Irish team that achieved a Grand Slam in last year’s Home Internationals and in the process completed a hat-trick of successes in the championship have entered for the Pierse Motors South of Ireland, starting with the first of two qualifying rounds at Lahinch next Wednesday.

Stuart Grehan fired in a flawless three-under-par opening round of 69 in tough conditions to lead the Irish assault on the European Amateur Championship in Estonia.