HOME INTERNATIONALS:IRELAND ARE on the brink of an unprecedented third senior men's home international title in a row. Standing in their way of the hat-trick are Scotland – and a share of the spoils at Crail today will be sufficient to see them home.

Yesterday they overwhelmed Wales 6½-2½. After the morning foursomes Ireland edged to a 2-1 success. Killeen’s Maurice Kelly was four-up against former Wales captain Robert Broad early on and went on post a 6 and 5 success which took Ireland closer to the winning line. Then former Walker Cup skipper Garth McGimpsey powered home for a 3 and 2 win against Jeff Thomas and when Portmarnock’s Adrian Morrow recorded a 6 and 5 triumph over Paul Bloomfield it was all over.

Meanwhile, Helen Jones is just one stroke off the pace as she bids to complete a rare double at West Kilbride today. The Strabane star, a six-stroke winner in the Irish Open strokeplay championship last week, hopes to cap a marvellous fortnight by lifting the British title today. Gales delayed the start by over two hours. Jones added a 79 to her first round 80 for a 159 total – she is just one stroke behind leader Maureen Richmond.

Donabate’s Pat Doran is not out of the hunt as she is on 162 while Sheena McElroy of Grange is a further stroke back.