THE Shires Leinster Open Badminton Championships get under way in Terenure this evening with an impressive entry that includes all the leading local players as well as internationals from Norway, England, Scotland and Wales.

A fortnight after beating Justine Wilmott in an English Inter County match defending Leinster Open champion Sonya McGinn is seeded to meet the European number one again in tomorrow's finals.

Top seed in the men's singles' event is Norwegian number one Jim Ronny Andersen, currently ranked 14 in Europe - barring any upsets he should meet England's Richard Doling in the decider.

Lisburn's Michael Watt, seeded to reach the semi-finals, should provide the strongest local challenge in the men's singles with Leinster pair Mark Peard and Donie O'Halloran the best of the Irish in the doubles.