Ireland will be hoping to bridge a nine-year gap when they compete in the men's Home Internationals in Woodhall Spa, England. The tournament begins tomorrow and will continue until Friday.
The last Irish success in the competition was in Prestwick when non-playing captain Rupert de Lacy Staunton guided the team to victory. It marked the third victory in successive years in the competition; Ireland had won the title in 1990 and '91.
Since then England has dominated, winning every year until 12 months ago when Scotland captured the crown. Ireland have twice come close in the last couple of seasons, finishing as runner-up on both occasions. Walker Cup hero Graeme McDowell is an absentee due to commitments with the University of Alabama.
Eddie Dunne's Irish side offers a mixture of youth and experience. Much will be expected of the British Amateur champion and Walker Cup star Michael Hoey and the experienced Noel Fox. There are four new caps, Stephen Browne (Hermitage), Gavin McNeill (Waterford), Colm Moriarty (Athlone) and Stuart Paul (Tandragee).
Browne enjoyed a marvellous and timely triumph in the recent European Amateur Individual Strokeplay championship and has been one of the most consistent performers in domestic amateur golf this season. Waterford's Gavin McNeill prevailed in the Irish Close while Colm Moriarty won the Mullingar Scratch Cup.
Both Browne and Moriarty will head for PQ1 and the first step on a long road to a European Tour card. Paul won the North of Ireland Championship while Michael McDermott annexed the East and UCD student Justin Kehoe, the South. The team travelled to Woodhall Spa on Sunday in preparation for the event.
In other international news, an eight-man Ireland team will take on Canada from October 11th-12th. The team will comprise two under-19 golfers and two each from the age categories of under-18, under-17 and under-16. There will be foursomes and fourballs on the opening day with eight singles the next morning.
Meanwhile, the GUI has announced a strong team for the Seniors internationals at Portmarnock from October 2nd-4th. The other competing teams are England, Sweden and Wales.
The Ireland team includes the reigning national champion, David Jackson (Clandeboye), Munster and Connacht seniors champion Harry McKinney (European Club), Ulster senior titleholder Harry MacKeown (Portmarnock) and his Leinster counterpart Peter Crowley (Cork). Earlier this year the three-man Irish team of Jackson, McKinney and Cowley won the European Nations Cup.
IRELAND: D Jackson (Clandeboye), H McKinney (European Club), P Cowley (Cork), H MacKeown (Portmarnock), D Noonan (Rosslare), R Wallace (Spa), S Coyne (Killarney).
ENGLAND: P Baxter, D Lane, J Marks, A Morrison, A Smith, R Smethurst, R Turner.
SWEDEN: T Strom, B Back, B Karlsson, J Lundin, C Gundevall, K Andersson, J Sternberg.
WALES: J Drinsdale, G Isaac, J Jermine, G Stowe, B Cramb, J Gottwalz, JR Jones.
