A field of 40 pairs will go to the first tee in the PPUI National Mixed Foursomes championship at Gaeil Colmcille, Kells, on October 1st. Noel Joyce and Brid Ryan (Hillview) will be there to defend the title they won a Clogbogue a year ago. Eight times national individual champion Geraldine Ward and her Portmarnock clubmate Christy McDermott, however, will be among the favourites to lift the title. Winner of the gross in 1986 and again in 1992 the Portmarnock pair can expected a tough battle from Cork's Morty and Nicola Aherne, both members of the Crosshaven team that won the 1998 National Mixed team title. Others with an eye on the title include gross winners in 1998 and 1991 Oliver and Jean Cooney from the Bissell club in Drogheda, Sydney Venner and his wife Dee from the Templebreedy club and Ann Breen and Joe Ring of Bruff.