FAMILY golfing fortunes bridged national boundaries yesterday when brothers were brought together in a dual celebration. As Michael McGinley completed a second round of 72 which would eventually give him the medal as leading qualifier in the Irish Close Championship at Royal Co Down, he was told of older brother Paul's victory in the Austrian Open.

I'm thrilled - this is a wonderful day for the family," said the 21-year-old who surprised many, including Paul, through his victory in the North of Ireland Championship last month. "I've been trying to phone my dad who was responsible for bringing us into golf, but I can't get through."

It was some hours after he had signed his card for a level-par total of 142, before the younger McGinley learned he had done sufficient to lead the 64 qualifiers. And it was a close thing. Four players actually tied on that mark and a countback was necessary before McGinley claimed the spoils on the last six.

As it happened, the crucial difference was achieved through two birdies on that stretch. At the 13th, where a particularly nasty pin placement was on the sloping, right front of the green, the Grange player hit a four-iron approach to 20 feet and sank the putt.

Then, at the 265-yard 16th, he got close enough to the green with his drive to allow him use the putter from the fringe. And he extracted full advantage by hitting it to within a foot of the target. That was the key which separated him from international Richard Coughlan, who also had rounds of 70 and 72.

When the cut was made, only two players out of eight on 156 - 14 over par - got through. And there was no joy for the 1995 West of Ireland champion, Eamonn Brady, who had two shots too many after a second round of 83. Killer blows were inflicted at the long 12th, where he took two to escape from a fairway bunker on the way to a miserable nine, and at the 13th where he was forced to take a penalty drop from bushes, leading to a triple-bogey seven.

"I will be desperately disappointed if this costs me a place on the international team," said Brady afterwards. I have no wish to make excuses, but the fact is that I had a dose of flu coming here and you need to be in the whole of your health to play this course."

Indeed the challenge was made all the more severe by some excessively difficult pin placements, notably at the fourth, sixth, ninth, 11th and 13th. Despite the success of brothers Noel and Eamonn Crawford, who are members of the greenkeeping staff, the renowned links posed a searching test of nerve and skill.

"Instead of an inviting course, all I could see was trouble," said Peter Lawrie, winner of the Mullingar Scratch Trophy last weekend. "The fear factor here is very significant." East of Ireland champion, Noel Fox, endorsed that view.

"It's unquestionably the best course I've played, outside of Portmarnock," he said after a qualifying aggregate of 145. "It's in beautiful condition yet it gives you nothing. I can't believe the 555 is as low as 73."

The severity of the test was clearly a factor in some decidedly slow play which left Jody Fanagan thoroughly exasperated. The Walker Cup representative was in danger of failing to qualify when he stood 12 over par for the championship after five holes of yesterday's round.

Normally the most placid of men, Fanagan was positively seething when he said: "It took up to two hours to play the first six holes. I can't believe how slow it was out there." He blamed the stop-start nature of play for the fact that he was four over par after four holes, shooting par, bogey, double-bogey, bogey.

Then came a crushing nine at the fifth, which dropped him to nine over par for the round. A pushed six-iron approach bounced off the right side of the green into horrendous trouble in bushes. From there, Fanagan took two unsuccessful hacks before opting for a penalty drop.

Another hack, then a chip, followed by a missed four-foot putt amounted to a stunning blow. To his credit, however, the Milltown player responded to the challenge by covering the remaining holes in one under par. "I didn't think I would have to cut things so fine and I'm obviously glad to have got through," he added.

Meanwhile, a day of family fortunes for the McGinley clan, was not quite so successful for the Smyths of Newcastle. Where there was Hugh, with son Peter as his caddie, and other sons Greg and Bryan competing for places in the matchplay stage - only father remains.

Hugh Smyth slipped to a 75 to become the fourth player on 142. And what of the sons? "Peter's a right fine caddie," he smiled. Some families have to settle for less.

Due to an error in transmission, Saturday's report on the women's interprovincials said Leinster were winning their second title. This should have read 22nd.