IRELAND, following disappointing results in the last two years, moved to the top of the leaderboard in the first strokeplay qualifying round of the European boys' team championship at Gut Murstatten in Austria.

On a day when scoring was generally very low because of benign conditions, five of the six Irish players broke the par of 72 an admirable achievement in any circumstances.

That meant they posted a total of 347 with five of the six cards counting, the same as that recorded by defending champions England, and the pair are two clear of Spain, with Sweden a further stroke away in fourth place.

"It's been a great day. What more can I say, the players have done really well and more of the same tomorrow and we'll all be happy," said captain Frank Gannon.

Leading the way is Killarney's 8-year-old Daniel Sugrue, who fired a splendid 68, and he was ably supported by Andrew Lynch and Steve Hood, who both took 69.

Lynch holed a 35-yard chip shot on the 17th and birdied the short 18th. It really was champagne stuff.

Two years ago on the Algarve Ireland could do no better than the third flight and last July at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire they got into the second flight and finished the championship in ninth place. This time they are poised to occupy one of the leading positions in the top eight but Gannon is warning against complacency today.

Of the Home Countries, it looks as if Scotland will crash out of contention today as they are some 26 strokes behind England and Ireland and in 18th position out of the 19 competing nations.

Ireland face an uphill struggle in the second strokeplay qualifying round of the European junior women's team championship at Nairn in Scotland in order to progress to the top-flight matchplay stages. The Irish side finished the first day on a disappointing 419 five-round total, some 42 shots behind early pacesetters France. Only the top eight teams qualify for matchplay at the end of today's play.