South of Ireland - Battle for the semis
South of Ireland Amateur Open, sponsored by Clare Coast Hotels
Semi-finals
8:30 Eanna Griffin (Waterford) v Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park)
8:45 Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock) v Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin)
Tuesday 29th - Quarter-finals
Eanna Griffin (Waterford) bt Conor O’Rourke (Naas) 3/2
Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) bt Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) 8/6
Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock) bt Andrew Magee (Powerscourt) 5/4
Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin) bt Ian O’Rourke (The Royal Dublin) 3/2
Andrew Magee (Powerscourt) hits a four-iron to 12 feet at the 18th to set up a fifth round win over Esker Hills' Alan Lowry in the Clare Coast Hotels sponsored South of Ireland Amateur Open at Lahinch. Picture © Brian Keogh
Live scoring from the quarter-finals
Conor O'Rourke ended 63-year old Arthur Pierse's journey in the last 16 of the Clare Coast Hotels sponsored South of Ireland Amateur Open at Lahinch.
The 22-year old from Naas raced into an early three up lead and was an estimated two-under par as he closed out the match 5 and 4 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Eanna Griffin, who beat Carton House's Keith Egan 3 and 2.
The winner of that one will face Shandon Park's Stuart Bleakley, who beat 2011 winner Stephen Walsh 4 and 3, or 2009 champion Robbie Cannon, who has moved effortlessly in the last eight.
If Cannon is the favourite in the top half, the bottom half of the draw looks wide open.
Powerscourt's Andrew Magee, an 18 year old schoolboy unbeaten for Dun Laoghaire in his last nine Senior Cup matches, hit a wonderful four iron to the heart of the 18th to see off a spirited comeback from Esker Hills' Alan Lowry.
@alanlowry59 presses home his advantage with a fine approach to 10ft behind the stick. Magee has 6ft for par. pic.twitter.com/xxnyxGaF1O
— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) July 29, 2014
Cheered on by his brother Shane, Lowry birdied the 14th to get back to one down, lost the 15th to fall two holes behind again but took the 16th in par and the 17th with a fine birdie from 11 feet to take the match to the last.
The NUI Maynooth player bunkered his second shot, however, and could only two putt for a five as Magee calmly two-putted for the match and a quarter-final meeting with Portmarnock's Darragh Coghlan, who cruised to a 4 and 2 win over Castle's Alex Gleeson.
Coughlan has been quietly impressive, but so too have the other quarter-finalists, Cork's Ian O'Rourke (now playing out of Royal Dublin) and Royal Dublin's Richard Knightly.
Having ousted Pat Murray on Monday evening, O'Rourke was forced to grind again as he beat Ballybunion's Ed Stack one up while Knightly, who defeated North of Ireland champion Chris Selfridge in the fourth round, had a comfortable 5 and 4 win over Limerick's Michael O'Kelly.
Holes played by the quarter-finalists
63 — Eanna Griffin (Waterford)
64 — Robert Cannon (Balbriggan), Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock)
67 — Conor O’Rourke (Naas), Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin)
70 — Ian O’Rourke (The Royal Dublin)
81 — *Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park)
83 — *Andrew Magee (Powerscourt)
Bleakley and Magee have played 5 matches having played Saturday's 1st round.
Tuesday 29th - Quarter-finals
- (2:00) Conor O’Rourke (Naas) v Eanna Griffin (Waterford)
- (2:15) Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) v Robert Cannon (Balbriggan)
- (2:30) Andrew Magee (Powerscourt) v Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock)
- (2:45) Ian O’Rourke (The Royal Dublin) v Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin)
Tuesday 29th — Fifth round
Conor O’Rourke (Naas) bt Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) 5/4
Eanna Griffin (Waterford) bt Keith Egan (Carton House) 3/2
Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) bt Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock) 4/3
Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) bt Barry Daly (Edmondstown) 3/2
Andrew Magee (Powerscourt) bt Alan Lowry (Esker Hills) 1 hole
Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock) bt Alex Gleeson (Castle) 4/2
Ian O’Rourke (The Royal Dublin) bt Ed Stack (Ballybunion) 1 up
Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin) bt Michael O’Kelly (Limerick) 5/4
Oh brother where art thou? @alanlowry59 2 down after 15 @LahinchGolfClub pic.twitter.com/UCFDRQklG2
— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) July 29, 2014