Girls' Championships: Joanne Black, who will gain her first Ulster senior cap in next month's women's interprovincial championship at The Island, was the leading qualifier yesterday at Belvoir Park in the Irish Girls' Intermediate (under-23) Championship.

The Knock member carded rounds of 78 and 79 for a total of 157 and a seven strokes lead over second-placed Fiona Healy, a Leinster senior team member who is also a noted handball player.

The matchplay stages will begin this morning.

Meanwhile, Amy Duggan made the long trip from Killarney to Belvoir Park for the Girls' (under-18) Championship and intends to make the journey well worthwhile. The six-handicapper fired a splendid 78 gross at the Belfast course yesterday to lead the 32 qualifiers into this morning's first round of matchplay.

Duggan's five-over-par was one shot better than Karen Delaney, who also plays off six out of Carlow, while Heather Nolan, a five-handicapper from Shannon posted a useful 80 in the first stormy and later wet conditions.

Ulster Boys': The leader after the qualifying round for the Ulster Boys' Championship at Bangor yesterday was Cathal O'Malley from Westport.

The four-handicapper went round the seaside course in one-under-par 70 to be two shots clear of Dundalk two-handicapper Peter Tuite.

Joint third are South African entrant Mohamad Tayob, who plays off plus-one out of the Blynooruitzichi Golf Club and Ardglass player Peter Millar. Both shot 73 yesterday.

In a group of five on 75 was Garth Shaw from Lurgan who won the Leinster Boys' title last week. Sixty-four players went through to the shootout stakes, which begin this morning with the final on Friday afternoon.