GOLF: It's not as if Ireland haven't knocked on the door - rather loudly in some cases - but you have to go back to 1991 since the country last won the men's Home Internationals outright.
This year, more than usual, it would seem that the Irish have some scores to settle, particularly after not one Irish player was deemed good enough to be selected on the R & A's nine-man British and Irish team for the St Andrews Trophy match with the continent of Europe.
An even stronger incentive, perhaps, for players to do well this week is that the three-man Irish team - plus one reserve - for the Eisenhower Trophy, the world team championship, which takes place in Malaysia next month, will be selected at the conclusion of the Internationals, which start at Royal St David's in Harlech tomorrow and conclude on Friday.
Of the Irish players, Colm Moriarty - who won the South of Ireland, finished runner-up in the English strokeplay and topped the GUI's Order of Merit - can probably feel hardest done by in relation to the failure to secure a spot on the St Andrews Trophy team.
And despite the exodus of some of the country's top players - including Graeme McDowell, Michael Hoey and Stephen Browne - to the professional ranks this year, Irish team captain Eddie Dunne believes his squad can challenge strongly for the Raymond Trophy.
"The blend of skill, talent, experience and hunger is a good one," he insisted. "When we lost some of those players, people wondered what we would do and how we could replace them. The thing about amateur golf, however, is that new stars arrive . . . and that is what has happened."
Indeed, it is a reflection of the changing tide in Irish golf that there are five first-time caps on the team: Gareth Maybin; Darren Crowe; Sean McTernan, who has returned from scholarship in the US to make his debut; Padraig Dooley and Irish champion John McGinn.
The squad is made up of Moriarty; Justin Kehoe, the world universities champion; Noel Fox; Stuart Paul; Ken Kearney and Andy McCormick, who intends to turn professional afterwards.
"Much of the season's focus has been on Malaysia, especially since this will be Ireland's first time to compete as a separate country in the world championships," admitted Dunne, "but it is important that we take it one hurdle at a time and, as such, the Home Internationals are very important.
"We'd love to win back the trophy and it is important every player knows that every half point is vital. We've lost out on count back a couple of times in recent years and it is frustrating."
