Home Internationals: It may seem strange that Ireland are the reigning European team champions yet are not favourites for the Home Internationals, which start at Baltray today.

The reasoning is simple, and logical. Of the six-man team that conquered Europe just two months ago, only two - Simon Ward and Shane Lowry - are competing over the Co Louth links.

Rory McIlroy and Richard Kilpatrick have flown the amateur nest since being integral parts of Ireland's European success to pursue lives on the professional tour, while Gareth Shaw and Walker Cup player Jonny Caldwell have returned to college stateside.

So, for Ireland's opening match of the championship against holders Scotland, Irish captain Michael Burns has assembled a team that - apart from Pat Murray and Joe Lyons - is intent on giving youth a fling. It may work.

Certainly, Irish close champion Shane Lowry - unlucky in many eyes to have been overlooked for a Walker Cup place - comes into the matches with a reputation enhanced in the European team win and also by his recent singles success in the Nations Cup in Portugal, and the Esker Hills clubman has been asked to lead from the front, playing the top match in both this morning's foursomes (when he partners Co Louth's Ward) and the afternoon singles.

There are just three members of the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team - which lost to the USA at Royal County Down earlier this month - in action as the four 'home' countries seek to win the Raymond Trophy. Two of them, Nigel Edwards and Llewellyn Matthews, are part of a Welsh team that, it is felt, could provide a strong test for favourites England, led by Daniel Willett and also featuring the veteran Gary Wolstenholme.

Willett, who won the English championship, and played so well in the Walker Cup, is - like Lowry - asked to play at number one in both foursomes and singles.

Ireland, incidentally, have a little bit of history to live up to.

On the last occasion that Ireland were European champions, in 1987, they followed up by also winning the Home Internationals.

And, coincidentally, the matches were also held in Ireland, on that occasion at Lahinch.

So, no pressure, lads!

Ireland v Scotland (Irish names first):Foursomes (7.30) - S Lowry/S Ward v K McNicholl/J Byrne; P Cutler/N Kearney v K McAlpine/C Macaulay; C Curley/P O'Hanlon v P O'Hara/G Campbell; P Murray/J Lyons v J King/W Booth; C McNamara/N O'Brien v J Gallagher/S Henry. Singles (12.15) - S Lowry v K McNicholl; P Cutler v K McAlpine; S Ward v G Campbell; N Kearney v J Byrne; P Murray v P O'Hara; C Curley v C Macaulay; C Doran v S Henry; J Lyons v G Dear; P O'Hanlon v W Booth; C McNamara v J Gallagher.

England v Wales (English names first)Foursomes (8.10) - D Willett/G Boyd v C Evans/R Thomas; M Cryer/B Evans v N Edwards/R Enoch; G Wolstenholme/B Parker v L Thomas/A Runcie; C Wood/S Hutsby v L Matthews/J Howe; M Baldwin/D Whitnell v Z Gould/B Westgate. Singles (1.35) - D Willett v C Evans; G Boyd v N Edwards; M Cryer v L Matthews; B Evans v Z Gould; C Ford v R Enoch; G Wolstenholme v R Thomas; B Parker v A Runcie; S Hutsby v B Westgate; C Wood v Je Howe; D Whitnell v J Shufflebotham.