Bookies' favourite Alex Maguire became the first player for 30 years to successfully defend the East of Ireland Amateur Championship when he beat Dundalk's Carolan Rafferty and Portumna's Sam Maguire in a three-hole aggregate playoff at a sun-splashed County Louth.
Harry Gillivan hit the crossbar when he was beaten in the final of the Munster Amateur Championship at Cork in May, but he’s in a scoring position again at County Louth, where a five-under 67 gave him a one-shot lead after the opening round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship.
Royal Dublin's Gary McGrane fired a superb 72 in the worst of the rain squalls to edge out Portmarnock's David Kelleher on countback to lead the nine pre-qualifiers for the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at County Sligo.
