Irish tipped to defend Euro title at Shannon GC

IRELAND will be well fancied to retain their title when the third European Amateur Seniors Team Championship takes place at Shannon Golf Club this week.

They captured the title in Bled, Slovenia, last year but only Maurice Kelly (Killeen) and Hugh Smyth (Mourne) have retained their places. Tony Goode, Seamus McParland, Val Smyth and Nigel Duke are replaced by Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock), John Carroll (Bandon), Liam MacNamara (Woodbrook) and Arthur Pierse (Tipperary).

If anything, it sounds like a stronger side than that which qualified in second place behind Scotland in Bled and then beat them in the final.