GOLF DIGEST - EUROPEAN SENIOR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP:Irish captain Tommie Basquille was in confident mood after Ireland secured the top qualifying spot at Shannon Golf Club.
Despite lying six shots behind round one leaders England, the Irish team rallied and produced by far the best golf of the day to lead on 749 from their nearest rivals England on 756.
Leading the way for Ireland in was Arthur Pierse, who also topped the individual strokeplay. The former Walker Cup player started in style with three birdies in his first five holes. He followed that with bogeys on the long eighth and par four 14th for a final score of 71, one under par.
Portmarnock's Adrian Morrow improved on his opening 76 to card a level par 72.
Ireland now face Germany in the semi-final while England play Scotland in the other.
"We have a strong team out there and all the lads are playing very good golf," said Basquille. "I am confident that we will get through the semi-final and go all the way in the final."
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR:The Irish contingent found some outstanding form as they battled on two fronts, with Stephen Browne and Colm Moriarty moving into contention at the Vodafone Challenge in Germany while Michael McGeady and Michael Hoey hit the ground running at the Trophée du Golf Club de Genève in Switzerland.
McGeady and Hoey carded respective scores of four-under 68 and 69 to lie just three and four strokes behind England's Richard Bland at the Golf Club de Genève, in a tournament reserved for the top 36 players in the rankings.
The Challenge Tour's chasing pack are in Dusseldorf at the Vodafone Challenge, where Browne posted a four-under 68 to trail Carlos del Moral of Spain and Scotland's Richie Ramsay by three shots.
Moriarty is shot back after a 69 at the An der Elfrather Mühle.
BRITISH BOYS:Irish hopes of producing a first British Boys Amateur champion since Ronan Rafferty almost three decades ago disappeared at Little Aston yesterday when Garth McGee and Michael Durcan fell by the wayside in the fourth round.
Malone professional's son McGee, exhausted after his exploits of the past fortnight, finally bowed out following a splendid run.
The 17-year-old international went down by 2 and 1 to Charles Durnian, the son of Dennis Durnian.
Durcan produced a magnificent display to put out English international Jake Shepherd in the third round - he won that game 3 and 1 after being three up after five holes.
But then he found the dazzling short game of West Country golfer Matt Kippen, the reigning English schools champion, impossible to counteract and he crashed to a 4 and 3 reverse.
ULSTER YOUTHS:Alan Dunbar is outright leader of the Ulster Youths Championship at Royal Portrush.
The six-foot, two handicapper, who plays out of Rathmore, posted a second round of level par 72 for a four-under 140 aggregate to open a four-stroke cushion.
