TOO OFTEN, accusations are targeted at some of the country's top amateur players that they don't give enough back to the sport. Such claims, however, cannot be made against the captains of the respective teams involved in the Youths' Interprovincial Championship which takes place at Clandeboye this weekend.
Garth McGimpsey, arguably the greatest Irish amateur of modern times, will again lead the Ulster youths in the quest for the title but two other men with international experience, Kenneth Kearney and Michael Burns, will also be hoping to steer Connacht and Munster respectively, in the right direction.
And an indication of Kearney's desire to blood his young guns is that, in a break with tradition, Connacht arrived at the Newtownards course yesterday to undertake four days of practice prior to the commencement of the championship on Friday.
"Ken is very keen and has taken to the job with great enthusiasm," said Sean Hosty, secretary of the Connacht Branch. He has a great reputation as a player, he has achieved something in golf. And the young players are listening to him and are anxious to learn from his experience."
Kearney, a member of the Irish team which won the Home Internationals in 1990 and 1992, and winner of the West of Ireland in 1992, is replicating the way Co Sligo prepared for their successful Irish Senior Cup/Barton Shield double at Tramore last year when they benefited from a week's practice: "This is a new experience for me, and it will be totally different looking at things from the sidelines. But I'm looking forward to the event and hopefully the lads can gain some experience and build for next year's event.
"All except Nigel Howley will be available again next year, but we might also upset one or two teams this time round," be added. "I feel the few days advance practice should help the players get acquainted with the greens, which is very important.
Even with the presence of recently crowned Connacht youths' champion Howley in their ranks however, Connacht - with four players under 18 years of age in the team - will enter the fray as underdogs, with the potential to bite. They could well be a team for the future, though.
Ulster will enter the championship as favourites. Johnny Foster, winner of the Munster youths' championship earlier this season, David Jones, Rory Leonard and Ciaran McMonagle have all represented Ireland in the junior ranks and, with McGimpsey's presence, will be hard to beat.
There is also a fair smattering of international talent in the Munster side, most notably the highly rated Paul Byrne and Patrick Collier, while Leinster, who include Irish boys' champion Mark Campbell, are capable of ruffling a few feathers.
