Captain Dunne expects great things from five new caps

ALTHOUGH there has been a serious drain to the professional ranks, especially where outstanding players like Graeme McDowell, Michael Hoey and Stephen Browne are concerned, Irish captain Eddie Dunne is positive where his team’s prospects in this week’s home international at Royal St David’s, Harlech, are concerned.

Dunne, an official with the Bank of Ireland finance company, insists “when a star dies in the amateur game, a new star is born”, and he is expecting great things of his five new caps when they go into senior international action for the first time over the splendid par 69 Harlech links in North Wales.

The newcomers are North of Ireland champion Gareth Maybin; Irish Close champion John McGinn, Padraig Dooley of Cork, Darren Crowe of Dunmurry and Co Sligo’s Sean McTernan.