Ireland gave a steady if not spectacular performance over Spain's San Roque course yesterday to put themselves in a strong position to reach the matchplay stages of the European Youths Championship.
But their Boys side will have to show a dramatic improvement over the Bokskogen course in Malmo, Sweden, if they are to keep alive their European championship hopes.
The Irish Women's Under-21s and Girls sides are also struggling after their first day's performance.
In the Youths, Ireland, three-time winners of the crown, are in third position with an aggregate of 359, some seven strokes behind leaders Italy but with a significant cushion between them and eighth-placed nation, Wales.
Aaron O'Callaghan, the young Douglas star, led the charge with a two-under par 70, which comprised level halves of 35, while West Waterford's Seamus Power was in fine fettle as well, returning a 71, his card being slightly tarnished by bogeys at 15 and 18.
Holywood's Rory McIlroy, who recently retained his Irish Close title, was round in 73 despite a horrendous seven on the seventh, where he encountered all sorts of problems, while Co Louth's Simon Ward, whom he beat in the Close final, took 72.
When the calculations are being done tonight to determine the flights, Ireland will be helped by the fact that their discounted card was a mere 74 posted by Shane Lowry.
"All the lads kept their heads down and another day like that tomorrow will keep us happy," said skipper Padraig Hogan.
In the Boys event, Ireland struggled, and with five of the six cards counting are on 387. Their best performance was a 75 by Andrew Hogan of Newlands.
This total means they are eight strokes outside the top flight positions and some 19 adrift of leaders Sweden. It will certainly take a massive effort today for them to recover.
Ireland's chances of qualifying for the first matchplay flight in the Women's European Under-21 championship and the Girls equivalent in Holland and Denmark respectively look pretty remote after a disappointing opening day of qualifying.
Despite having recently-selected Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney in their line-up, the women flopped to 12th position and are some 10 stokes adrift of the all-important eighth place.
And in the Girls contest they are marginally worse - in 13th spot, although here the gap between them and eighth is just seven strokes. However, it still looks a forlorn hope.
Royal County Down's Danielle McVeigh was the best, returning 73, while Delaney, one of the famous Carlow sisters, could only manage 75, and there were two scores in the 80s.
Ireland's aggregate was 388 some 31 strokes behind Spain.
