NORTH OF IRELAND:THE FIRST day of matchplay in the North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Royal Portrush is famed for its shocks, and yesterday was no exception.
Out went the likes of Aaron O’Callaghan, a semi-finalist last year, in the first round, and he was followed in the afternoon by fellow Cork man Keith Crowley. Also sent packing were 2008 runner-up Andrew Morris, internationals Dara Lernihan and Joe Lyons, leading qualifier Trevor Spence and the only former winner to survive the cut, Darren Crowe.
Title favourite Paul Cutler from Portstewart squeezed through to the last 16. He was taken to the final green by Alastair McKinley (Shandon Park) before winning by two holes and then had to visit the 18th again before beating Scot David Sutton by one hole.
First Round
First Quarter: C Curley (Newlands) bt L Summerville (Donaghadee) 5/3; C Doran (Banbridge) bt A Burns (Antrim) 2/1; A Dunbar (Rathmore) bt R Whitson (Mourne) 2/1; A O’Callaghan (Douglas) bt J Patterson (Knock) 4/2; RJ Cannon (Laytown Bettystown) bt C McAleavey (Banbridge) 2 holes; R McNamara (Headfort) bt G McAuley (Dunmurry) at 20th; P O’Kane (Moyola Pk) bt P McCrudden (Royal Portrush) 2 holes; E Maguire (Seapoint) bt B Cashman (Belvoir Pk) 3/2.
Second Quarter: C Steele (Ballyclare) bt R Leonard (Banbridge) 2 holes; A Wilson (Cairndhu) bt D McElroy (Ballymena) 3/2; H Diamond (Belvoir Pk) bt G Morrow (Lisburn) 3/2; A Pitcher (The Island) bt P Reavey (Warrenpoint) at 19th; W Telford (Rathmore) bt G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 3/1; K Crowley (Lee Valley) bt A Morris (Belvoir Pk) 2/1; N Murray (Dunmurry) bt G Dickson (Dunmurry) 4/3; T Spence (Clandeboye) bt S Smyth (Co Louth) 2/1.
Third Quarter: J Hiluta (Chelmsford) bt S Crowe (Dunmurry) 3/2; A Glynn (Porters Pk) bt G Jones (Belvoir Pk) 4/3; K Condren (Greystones) bt C McClenaghan (Rockmount) one hole; C Carvill (Belvoir Pk) bt J Lyons (Galway) 5/3; D Beattie (Whitehead) bt P Doherty (Ballyliffin) one hole; David Mulholland (Castlerock) bt N Grant (Knock) at 22nd; F Rafferty (Dungannon) bt L Lennox (Moyola Pk) 6/4; C Selfridge (Moyola Pk) bt D Vaughan (Ardglass) 4/3.
Fourth Quarter: I Kettyle (Rathmore) bt D Mallon (Dungannon) 2/1; S Morrison (City of Derry) bt G Kelly (Co Louth) 2/1; D Crowe (Dunmurry) bt J McWilliams (Belvoir Pk) 2/1; S McConnell (Ballyclare) bt D O’Hara (Belvoir Pk) 2/1; P Cutler (Portstewart) bt A McKinley (Shandon Pk) 2 holes; D Sutton (Lurgan) bt D Lernihan (Castle) 3/2; J Crangle (Fortwilliam) bt A Kearney (Castlerock) one hole; C Campbell, jun (Warrenpoint) bt A McCormick (Scrabo) 4/3.
Second Round: Curley bt Doran one hole; Dunbar bt O’Callaghan one hole; McNamara bt Cannon 4/3; O’Kane bt Maguire 2 holes; Wilson bt Steele 6/5; Diamond bt Pitcher at 20th; Telford bt Crowley 3/2; Murray bt Spence 6/5. Bottom Half - Glynn bt Hiluta at 20th; Carvill bt Condren 2/1; Mulholland bt Beattie 7/6; Selfridge bt Rafferty 5/4; Morrison bt Kettyle 4/3; McConnell bt Crowe 3/2; Cutler bt Sutton one hole; Campbell bt Crangle 2 holes.
