Ireland teams ready for home internationals

The R&A Men’s & Women’s Home Internationals will be played a Woodbrook Golf Club in Wicklow

Katie Poots (Knock) and Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) will be a part of the Irish squads teeing up at the R&A Men's & Women's Home Internationals in Woodbrook Golf Club. Pic: Inpho

Ireland’s top amateur golfers will compete on two fronts this week as the R&A Home Internationals get underway at Woodbrook Golf Club and Monifieth Golf Links, with four teams taking on England, Scotland and Wales.

The R&A Men’s & Women’s Home Internationals will return to Ireland for the first time since its inception in 2022.

This year, Damien Coyne (Tuam) and Gillian O’Leary (The Island) will hope home advantage can help guide their men’s and women’s teams to glory on the Wicklow course as they aim to win back the trophy they secured in 2024 while Girls’ team captain Brenda Craig (Roganstown) and Boys’ team captain John Carroll (Cork) lead their squads to the Scottish links.

The action at Woodbrook takes place from 5-7 August, with two members of Ireland’s European Amateur Team Championship winning side included in the men’s team while Katie Poots (Knock) tees up for the women’s team, fresh from her AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship victory at Enniscrone.

Thomas Higgins made the winning putt that sealed victory for Ireland in Estonia, and the Roscommon golfer will be joined by John Doyle who will also be looking to add to Irish team success this year. Doyle’s fellow Fota Island member David Howard also earns a call up after an impressive summer that included competing at The Open Championship and reaching the semi-finals of the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship.

Gerard Dunne (County Louth), Dylan Keating (Seapoint), David Kitt (Athenry), Fionn Dobbin (Malone), Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) and Keith Egan (Carton House) round out the nine-man squad.

The women’s team will look to retain the title they won at Woodhall Spa last year. O’Leary’s side edged England by half a match point after going unbeaten throughout the week.

Olivia Costello (Roscommon), Anna Abom (Edmondstown), Emma Fleming (Elm Park) and Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye) all return from that 2025 winning side. They will be joined by Poots, Kate Dillon (Oughterard) and Jessica Ross (Clandeboye).

The R&A Boys’ and Girls’ Home Internationals also take place this week as the teams have travelled to Monifieth Golf Links in Scotland.

Ella Cantwell (Esker Hills), Hannah Lee McNamara (Royal Portrush) and Zoe McLean-Tattan (Romford) all return to the side having competed at this event in Cork last year. Kayleigh Mulholland (Moyola Park), Emma Vinarcik (Tralee), Jessica Reynolds (Co Sligo) and Claudia O’Donoghue (Douglas) complete the lineup.

Having helped Ireland secure the Nations Cup at the Carris Trophy, John William Burke (Ballyhaunis), Adam Fahey (Portmarnock) and Isaac Oliver (Glasson) are included in the Boys’ team. Luke Furlong (Wexford), Ollie McEvoy (Ballycastle), Patrick Martin (Carrick-on-Shannon), John Moran (Portmarnock), Luke McCan (Killarney Golf and Fishing Club) and Harry O’Hara (Clandeboye) round out the team.

Ireland will once again face England, Scotland and Wales with the combined team scores from the men’s and women’s matches determining the overall champions.