Paddy Gribben, the current European stroke-play champion, was yesterday forced to withdraw from the Irish team that will contest the European Amateur Championship in Italy next week. His enforced absence is a significant blow to Ireland's attempt to claim the title for the first time since 1987.

Royal Dublin's Eamonn Brady, who has recently completed a scholarship to East Tennessee University, has been drafted in as replacement on the six-man which departs from Dublin on Saturday morning. Brady finished 24th in the American collegiate rankings this season and was considered somewhat unlucky to be overlooked by the selectors in the first place.

However, Gribben's withdrawal on medical advice - due to an injured hand - is unlikely to affect his prospects of a place on the British and Irish Walker team which is due to be selected after the Europeans. The R & A team face the United States at Nairn in Scotland in September and Gribben, a member of the Britain and Ireland team that won the Eisenhower Trophy (world team championship) in Chile last November is considered a certainty.

The revised Irish team for Italy is: Brady (Royal Dublin), Gary Cullen (Beaverstown), Michael Hoey (Shandon Park), Ken Kearney (Galway), Garth McGimpsey (Bangor) and Ciaran McMonagle (Dunfanaghy). The championship commences with 36-holes strokeplay qualifying next Tuesday with the matchplay phase (top eight progressing to flight one) starting on Thursday next.