Ireland are on the brink of winning the first European Bowls team championship after scoring six successive wins in Guernsey, yesterday. Ireland's Dorothy Kane and Gary McCloy started their day with a 17-14 victory over England's Jean Baker and Brett Morley, then stayed in the winning group to demolish Holland's Joke Tromp and Wim Van Ginkel 31-12.

Kane and McCloy completed their hat-trick when they saw off Jersey's Sue Dingle and Cyril Renouf 18-10.

Meanwhile, Ireland's world pairs champion Margaret Johnston and Noel Graham started their day in dazzling style, hammering Spain's Pam Cole and Bill Toleman 30-8, then scored an emphatic 24-8 win over Scottish mother and son Sarah and David Gourlay.

Johnston and Graham made it three wins out of three with a 21-12 success over Guernsey's Anne Simon and Gary Pitschou. Ireland go into today's final session two points clear of Wales and eight points ahead of third placed Scotland and Jersey.

In the final session, Johnston and Graham play Holland, while Kane and McCloy meet a Guernsey pair. Ireland will also be involved in both the men and womens' singles finals.

In the men's event McCloy takes on England's John Bell while in the women's tournament Johnston plays Judith Wasson of Wales.

In what could be a remarkable day for Ireland, McCloy and Johnston, if they can land the singles title double, will then clash in an all Irish Champion of Champions final to round off the championship this afternoon.