IRELAND’S bid to break the England stranglehold on the Boys’ Home International Golf Championship failed by the narrowest of margins 8.5-6.5 in a tense and thoroughly exciting final afternoon at Royal St Davids, Harlech yesterday.

THE Delaney sisters - Tara and Karen - carry the principal hopes of Ireland in the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship, which begins today over the Newport course in south Wales.

THE build-up to the selection of the first ever Irish side to compete in the World Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy in Malaysia next October continues.

Generous Seiji Ebihara became the first man to make a successful defence of the AIB Irish Seniors Open title when he closed with a two under par 70 for a two-shot win over England’s Denis Durnian at Adare, Co Limerick.