Dunne faces his former team-mates

David Dunne is an old hand when it comes to the Bulmers All-Ireland Cups and Shields finals, which take place at Lahinch Golf Club this week, starting on Thursday and concluding on Saturday, but the former Irish international finds himself in a rather unusual position this time round.

Although this will be the 25-year-old's tenth appearance in the national club finals, Dublin-based banker Dunne, now playing with Elm Park, finds himself coming face-to-face with his old pals from Co Sligo, with whom he won three Barton Shields and two Irish Senior Cups. Elm Park take on Co Sligo in the semi-final of the Senior Cup on Friday and, to add further intrigue to the clash, David's father, Ronnie, is the current president of the Rosses Point club.

So, whatever way the match pans out, one Dunne - in some capacity - will be involved in the final where the winners will face either Ballybunion or Shandon Park.

Such sporting rivalry is part and parcel of the Cups and Shields, a unique festival of golf which brings together all calibres of club golfers, from plus-handicaps with international experience to mid to high-handicappers. In all, five different green pennants will be on the line: the Barton Shield, Irish Senior Cup, Irish Junior Cup, Jimmy Bruen Shield and Pierce Purcell Shield.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of this year's competition is the emergence of youth, and nowhere is this more evident than in the battle for the Barton Shield which opens proceedings on Thursday. Connemara have never won this particular title, but their progress to the national finals has come on the back of a successful underage structure. Two current Irish boys internationals are included in the Connemara team: Derek McNamara, the Irish boys champion and a member of the Britain and Ireland Leglise Trophy team earlier this season, and Kenny Fahey.

The evolving nature of club competition is also noticeable from the number of clubs who have emerged from the provincial competitions who have yet to claim the national pennant.