“There are shots where experience makes all the difference – middle of the green when the flag is back on 11, staying short of the bunkers, little things like that.”
Former professional Paul O’Hanlon from Carton House, who was runner-up to Niall Kearney in 2008, overcame a four-shot penalty in the first strokeplay round on Wednesday for having an extra club in his bag to qualify for the matchplay.
And the 36-year-old took full advantage, beating Castleknock’s Ian O’Connell 7 and 5 before coming back from four down after six to beat Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan 2 up and set up a last 16 clash with Slieve Russell’s Shane McDermott.
Chicago’s Patrick Adler, a 21-year-old overseas member of Lahinch, beat the home club’s Jonathan Keane 3 and 2 to make round three, where he faces Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins, who defeated David Kitt at the 20th.
In the bottom half of the draw, two 16-year-olds could meet in the quarter-finals.
Royal Belfast’s Finlay Eager, who faces Millicent’s Brian Doran, is two days older than Galway Bay’s Rory Gallagher, who takes on Darragh Flynn from Carton House.
“Really happy,” said Gallagher, who beat Castle’s Ross McKeever and Co Louth’s Evan Farrell. “The game was good in the afternoon especially. Held a couple of nice putts and hit a lot better than I did in the morning. But yeah, overall really happy.
“I won the U-18 Order of Merit recently but this would be special to do well. Ever since the start of June, I have been in decent form. But still looking for the win, so hopefully.
“It’s more just experience, putting myself out there. Haven’t really done much different. I always see the names on leaderboards and stuff but it’s nice to be finally able to play with them.”
Should he make the final, he’ll miss Sunday’s clash of Galway and Armagh at Croke Park.
“I’d hope to be watching the Galway match, but if this is an excuse, I’ll take it,” he said
The hot favourite for the title remains holder Colm Campbell from Warrenpoint, who hit what he said was the best two-iron of his life—a 245-yard bullet to five feet at the 18th—to set up a conceded eagle and a one-up win over Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill.
“I had two very sticky matches today,” said the experienced 37-year-old, who beat Douglas’ Robert Walsh 2 and 1 in the morning before his last-gasp win in the afternoon.
“You just have to hit good shots and sometimes that’s 30 feet,” said Campbell, who is prepared to be patient and wait for his moment after admitting he struggled on the greens on day one.
He now plays Co Sligo’s Sean McLoughlin with the winner to take on Hermitage’s Aaron Naughton, who was a 3 and 2 winner over 2022 Irish Close champion Quentin Carew, or Galgorm Castle’s Josh Hill.
Hill beat 2019 champion Sean Desmond on the 21st after an epic battle that saw the Monkstown player fight back from three down after ten holes to square the match on the 17th.
South of Ireland Amateur Open, sponsored by Pierse Motors VW, Lahinch GC
Round one
Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt Senan Carroll (Ballybunion) 1 up;
James Walsh (Douglas) bt Jordan Boles (Charleville) 1 up;
Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) bt David Reddan (Nenagh) 1 up
Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Niels Knudsen (Lyngbygaard, Den) 3/2;
Pat Murray (Tramore) bt Simon Walker (Roscommon) 5/4;
Patrick Keeling (Roganstown) bt Mark Doogue (Castleknock) 4/3;
Aodhagan Brady (Co Sligo) bt Evan Monaghan (Tullamore) 3/2
Luke O’Neill (Connemara) bt Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) 1 up;
Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) bt William Hemauer (Bluemound, USA) 3/2;
Paul O’Hanlon (Carton House) bt Ian O’Connell (Castleknock) 7/5;
Joe O’Neill (Berehaven) bt Rory McConnell (Belvoir Park) 2 up;
Shane McDermott (PGA National Slieve Russell) bt Tomás Pepper (Ardee) 6/5;
Patrick Adler (North Shore, USA) bt David Lally (Blainroe) 6/4;
Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) bt Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) 19th;
Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 4/3;
David Kitt (Athenry) bt Jack Hearn (Tramore) 1 up;
Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little) bt Keith Egan (Carton House) 3/1;
Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast) bt Conor Dean (Blainroe) 2 up;
Richard Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) bt Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint) 2/1;
Brian Doran (Millicent) bt Jamie Butler (Naas) 5/4;
Evan Farrell (Co Louth) bt Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 4/3;
Rory Gallagher (Galway Bay) bt Ross McKeever (Castle) 1 up;
Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) bt Cathal Penney (Athenry) 1 up;
Darragh Flynn (Carton House) bt James Marriott (West Surrey) 1 up;
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt Robert Walsh (Douglas) 2/1;
Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) bt Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin) 5/4;
Charlie Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt Jack Blake (The Island) 2/1;
Seán McLoughlin (Co Sligo) bt Darren McCormack (Corrstown) 1 up;
Quentin Carew (Castleknock) bt Paraic McGrath (Galway Bay) 4/2;
Aaron Naughton Hermitage bt Jack McDonnell (Royal Dublin) 2/1;
Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt Dean O’ Riordan (Fermoy) 1 up;
Seán Desmond (Monkstown) bt Mads Jensen (Odense Eventyr, Den) 2/1
Round two
J Walsh (Douglas) w/o R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) scr;
Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) 2/1;
Pat Murray (Tramore) bt Patrick Keeling (Roganstown) 2/1;
Aodhagan Brady (Co Sligo) bt Luke O’Neill (Connemara) 19th;
Paul O’Hanlon (Carton House) bt Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) 2 up;
Shane McDermott (PGA National Slieve Russell) bt Joe O’Neill (Berehaven) 4/2;
Patrick Adler (North Shore, USA) bt Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 3/2;
Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) bt David Kitt (Athenry) 20th;
Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast) bt Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little) 4/3
Brian Doran (Millicent) bt Richard Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up;
Rory Gallagher (Galway Bay) bt Evan Farrell (Co Louth) 3/2;
Darragh Flynn (Carton House) bt Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) 2/1;
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) 1 up;
Seán McLoughlin (Co Sligo) bt Charlie Cooley (Belvoir Park) 4/3;
Aaron Naughton (Hermitage) bt Quentin Carew (Castleknock) 3/2
Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) v Seán Desmond (Monkstown).
Today – Round three
0800 J Walsh (Douglas) v S Loftus (Lahinch);
0812 P Murray (Tramore) v A Brady (Co Sligo);
0824 P O’Hanlon (Carton House) v S McDermott (Slieve Russell);
0836 P Adler (North Shore, USA) v T Higgins (Roscommon);
0848 F Eager (Royal Belfast) v B Doran (Millicent)l
0900 R Gallagher (Galway Bay) v D Flynn (Carton House);
0912 C Campbell (Warrenpoint) v S McLoughlin (Co Sligo);
0924 A Naughton (Hermitage) v J Hill (Galgorm Castle).