Amateur golfBrian KeoghInterprovincial Matches, Athenry Golf Club

Interpros to settle Irish team

Amateur golfBrian KeoghInterprovincial Matches, Athenry Golf Club
Interpros to settle Irish team
Ronan Mullarney (Galway) silver medalist at the AIG 2018 Irish Amateur Close Championship at The European Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Ronan Mullarney (Galway) silver medalist at the AIG 2018 Irish Amateur Close Championship at The European Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Ireland will be going for a fifth successive Home Internationals victory at Conwy from September 12-14 with the team to be selected following next week's Interprovincial Championship at Athenry.

Leinster will defend the title from August 29-31 with a host of potential Ireland players in their ranks.

West of Ireland champion Robert Brazill from Naas looks a likely contender for his first cap with AIG Irish Close winner Robbie Cannon also in the mix for a return to the Irish team following his victory at The European Club.

Brazill and Cannon are joined in Galway by South of Ireland champion Caolan Rafferty from Dundalk— one of the four leading players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking guaranteed selection— with Kilkenny's Mark Power another likely starter at senior level.

St Andrews Links Trophy winner John Murphy, South of Ireland runner-up Rowan Lester and Irish Close runner-up Eoin Leonard are unavailable for selection due to college commitments in the US.

But with Robin Dawson, Rafferty, O'Keeffe, Gleeson and Purcell all looking certain to play at Conwy, as many as eight or nine players will be vying for the remaining six spots on the team after the Interpros in Athenry.

Interprovincial Championship, Athenry, August 29-31

  • Leinster: Robert Brazill (Naas),  Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan), Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire), Robert Moran (Castle), Mark Power (Kilkenny), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), Eugene Smith (Laytown & Bettystown), Jonathan Yates (Naas). 
  • Connacht: Alex Gleeson (Castle), Sean Flanagan (County Sligo), TJ Ford (Co. Sligo), Allan Hill (Athenry), David Kitt  (Athenry), Joe Lyons (Galway), Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little ), Ronan Mullarney (Galway).
  • Munster: Cathal Butler (Kinsale), Eanna Griffin (Waterford), John Hickey (Cork), Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock), Andrew McCormack (Castletroy), Gary O’Flaherty (Cork), Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas), James Sugrue (Mallow).
  • Ulster: Reece Black (Lisburn), Ross Dutton (Tandragee), Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush), Matt McClean (Malone), Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu), Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene), Marc Norton (Belvoir Park), Rory Williamson (Holywood).