Ireland look good in Europeans; face Germany in quarters

July 9, 2014 Brian Keogh

Gavin Moynihan chats with Graeme McDowell at the Irish Open. Picture: Fran Caffrey www.golffile.ie

Ireland are on track to challenge for the European Amateur Team Championship for the first time since they won back-to-back in 2007 and 2008.

The side captained by Pádraig Hogan will face Germany quarter-finals at Vanajanlinna in Finland after a strong day two showing saw them finish fourth behind England, Spain and Sweden in the qualifying.

The Island's Gavin Moynihan — the world No 15 — led the way, carding an immaculate, five under 67 to finish tied seventh on six under par, five strokes behind England's Ryan Evans.

England topped the qualifiers by three strokes from Spain with Sweden third, Germany fifth, Scotland sixth, France seventh and Switzerland eighth.

But Ireland's cause was brilliantly aided by Dermot McElroy (69) and Gary Hurley (70) with the ever improving Cormac Sharvin carding a 73 and Jack Hume a 75.

Paul Dunne's 76 was the discarded score but having qualified for The Open just last week, the Greystones star's flair will be a huge asset against the Germans.

Quarter-finals: England v Switzerland, Spain v France, Sweden v Scotland, Ireland v Germany.

There was heartache for the women in the European Ladies Amateur Team Championship in Slovenia as a handful of poor finishes saw them miss out on a place in the top flight, finishing two shots shy of the crucial top-eight in 10th.

They now face The Netherlands and will be looking for more good golf from Skerries' Maria Dunne, who shot 68 in the second round to finish sixth in the qualifying.

There was no luck either for the Girls' or Boys' teams in Slovakia and Norway respectively.

The girls finished 16th in qualifying and now face the Czech Republic in Flight Two while the Boys were 12th and now face Iceland.