Cleary faces three-time champion

In his heyday as one of the country's top forwards, Michael Cleary, who won two All-Ireland hurling championships with Tipperary, in 1989 and 1991, was well accustomed to duels with Kilkennymen. Since switching from ash to metal, such sporting rivalry hasn't been nearly as familiar, although it will be revived to a certain extent in today's first round of the South of Ireland amateur championship when Cleary takes on three-time champion Pádraic O'Rourke of Kilkenny.

O'Rourke's last win in the championship, the final "major" of the domestic calendar, came in 1985, and while he has remained competitive, he will face a tough opening-round encounter with Cleary, who has come down in handicap sufficiently to play in the championship, sponsored by McNamara Builders.

Realistically, though, the eventual champion is likely to emerge from the elite players who automatically advance to tomorrow's second round, where they will meet the first-round winners - although one interesting first-round tie pits together Island clubmates Andrew Pitcher, who had a great run to the semi-finals of the North of Ireland, and David Rawluk.

Unfortunately for the championship, Rory McIlroy, the new golden boy of Irish amateur golf, who has already successfully defended the West of Ireland and Irish Close championships this season, is on holidays and so is not competing over the old course.

Brendan McCarroll, the East of Ireland champion, and Darren Crowe, the recently crowned North of Ireland champion, are both playing, as is last year's North of Ireland winner, Gareth Shaw.

The latter showed his current well-being by winning the Irish Youths' championship.

Jim Carvill of Warrenpoint is the defending champion.

McCarroll will meet the winner of the first-round match between Ivan Genockey (Island) and Stephen Shaw (Lisburn), while Crowe will meet whoever comes through the first-round match between Graham Nugent (Kilkenny) and Patrick Sheehy (Limerick).