WHEN Joe Carr won the Irish Close Championship in 1951, little did he know that 45 years later the trophy he won on that occasion, an Irish silver salver, would get a new lease of life in an All-Ireland competition. When approached with the idea for a 32-county, inter-club competition for the over-60s, Carr responded with his Irish Close trophy and lent his name to the J B Carr Diamond Trophy.

Over 700 golfers from 70 clubs entered for the inaugural event, this summer and Rossmore (Ulster), Courtown (Leinster), Waterford (Munster) and Oughterard (Connacht) emerged for this weekend's climax at Woodenbridge.

Saturday's semi-final line-up is: Rossmore v Courtown; Waterford v Oughterard with the winners meeting in the final on Sunday. There will also be a play-off for third and fourth place on Sunday.