GOLF/Men's Home International Championship: The old links at Ballybunion looked a picture yesterday, so much so that the Scottish playing captain Craig Watson, a former British Amateur champion, was moved to suggest: "Everybody raves about St Andrews, but I hate the place. I'd been told how great Ballybunion was . . . and it has lived up to all my expectations."

Whether his instant love affair with the course will result in a Scottish win in the men's Home Internationals remains to be seen, but most of those who have played the course in practice have been smitten.

One exception was Gary Wolstenholme, the current British champion and one of four members of the successful Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team on duty, who confessed there were "horses for courses" but that this was "not my type of course at all. Maybe if the wind blows, it might help me."

Certainly, if Wolstenholme's horses for courses stands up (and it is an appropriate analogy with the festival of horse racing taking place down the road at Listowel), then Ireland can expect to emulate the feat of the women's team last week and claim the title for the first time since 1992, when they shared it with England.

Despite the absence of Colm Moriarty, who has turned professional, and Gareth Maybin, who was unable to obtain his release from his college in the US, Ireland have a strong team which is led by Walker Cup player Noel Fox and includes the European Amateur strokeplay champion Brian McElhinney.

For today's opening match against defending champions Wales, non-playing captain Mark Gannon has opted to pair Fox in the opening foursomes with South of Ireland champion Mervyn Owens, who has returned from college in the US to make his international debut.

Wales are without their two Walker Cup players: Stuart Manley has turned professional, while Nigel Edwards's wife is expecting a baby. Coincidentally, his replacement Neil Oakley has also withdrawn because his partner is due too, with Llewellyn Mathews coming into the team.

Gannon is upbeat about Ireland's prospects, while also acknowledging Wales have much strength in depth as they seek to retain the title.

"It's been a relatively good season so far for us," insisted Gannon. "We led the European championship qualifying by 11 shots, which shows that the guys have the ability, and Brian McElhinney's win in the European strokeplay was a great boost. It showed what can be done."

Michael Sinclair, the East of Ireland champion, and Richard Kilpatrick, who were drafted into the team after Moriarty and Maybin withdrew a fortnight ago, will be on duty just once today: Sinclair in the singles, Kilpatrick in the foursomes where he partners Johnny Foster in the anchor match. Kilpatrick, Irish close champion Mark O'Sullivan and Owens are all making their international debuts.

England have two Walker Cup players, Wolstenholme and Michael Skelton, in their side, while Scotland have one, Stuart Wilson. However, as recent years have shown, these championships are wide open - but Ireland will hope local knowledge will be a help in ending the decade-long drought since their last win.