As the Americans are prone to say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Not surprisingly, all six members of the team that won the European Championship at Gullane last week have been named on the side that will defend the R & A Trophy at the Boys' Home Internationals in St Andrews on August 5th-7th.

However, as Ireland prepare to return to Scottish links in search of more silverware, the sextet - David Jones, Justin Kehoe, Michael McDermott, Sean McTernan, Mervyn Owens and Robin Symes - will be joined by another five members who make up the 11-strong squad. James Clarke, Michael Collins, Alan Harty, Mark O'Sullivan and Gary Wardlow have been added to the team.

Five members of the squad actually competed on the Irish team that won the Boys' Home Internationals for the first time last year. The are: Jones, McDermott, O'Sullivan, Symes and Wardlow. Christy Jimmy Greene will again be the non-playing captain.

Irish Boys (Home Internationals at St Andrews, August 5th-7th): D Jones (City of Derry), J Kehoe (Birr), M McDermott (Stackstown), S McTernan (Co Sligo), M Owens (Mallow), R Symes (Shandon Park), J Clarke (Holywood), M Collins (Doneraile), A Harty (West Waterford), M O'Sullivan (Galway), G Wardlow (Shandon Park). Captain - J Greene (Grange).

Tandragee's Stuart Paul, who was second alternate for the Open at Royal Birkdale last week but failed to get a place in the championship proper, is among those chasing the South of Ireland Amateur Championship at Lahinch, which gets under way on Saturday.

Interestingly, there is a very strong youth challenge. Irish youths' champion Alan Murray, Scottish youths' champion Tim Rice and Leinster youths' champion Ricky Elliott will all challenge the established guard and, perhaps, push their claims for inclusion on the senior Home International team for September.