The Curragh's Paul O’Hanlon won the Golfsure sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship when he beat Castle's Dara Lernihan at the 20th at Belvoir Park Golf Club.

In this morning’s semi-finals, O’Hanlon came from four down after eight holes to defeat former international, Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) by two holes, while in the second match Lernihan, having won the opening three holes went on to score a 4 and 2 victory over Cian Curley (Newlands).

In the afternoon final, Lernihan won the opening hole with a birdie three, but O’Hanlon won the second to square the match.

Lernihan’s par four at the third was good enough for him to regain the lead. They halved the 201 yards fourth in par 3’s, but the Castle golfer went two up at the par five fifth hole.

O’Hanlon won the par four sixth but Lernihan went two up again with a birdie three at the seventh.

Lernihan recovered from bunker trouble at the eighth to halve the hole, and then went three up at the ninth with another birdie four.

After halving the tenth hole in par fours, O’Hanlon reduced his deficit to two down with a winning birdie two at the eleventh. The 12th was halved in par fours.

At the 426 yards 13th O’Hanlon made par four against a bogey five by Lernihan to further reduce his deficit to just one hole. However, at the 187 yards par three 14th Lernihan made birdie two and went two up. The 547 yards 15th was halved in par fives, and Lernihan remained two up with three to play.

At the 216 yards par three 16th both players hit superb tee shots – Lernihan to four feet and O’Hanlon to seven feet - but both missed birdie putts and Lernihan remained two up with two to play.

O’Hanlon holed for a winning birdie three from 25 feet at the 17th to leave Lernihan one up playing the 18th hole.

At the 18th, O’Hanlon left his second shot fifteen feet from the pin whereas Lernihan, bunkered off his tee shot found a greenside bunker with his second, and played out to four feet. O’Hanlon missed and left his putt two feet past the hole. Lernihan also missed and O’Hanlon holed for par to win the hole and level the match.

Lernihan was bunkered at the 19th with his tee shot, but came out to twelve feet while O’Hanlon went over the back of his green with his approach. He left his third shot twelve feet and hole his putt for par. Lernihan also took two putts and the hole was halved.

At the 20th Lernihan missed the fairway and had to play away from trees and left his second shot 100 yards short of the green. He played his third shot to 15 feet. Meanwhile O’Hanlon played a good tee shot and superb second to eight feet. Lernihan missed his putt and O’Hanlon got down in two putts to win the hole and championship.

FINAL:
Wednesday, 11th June 2008
Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt Dara Lernihan (Castle) at 20th .

SEMI-FINALS
Wednesday, 11th June 2008
Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) 2 holes
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Cian Curley (Newlands) 4/2

QUARTER-FINALS:
Tuesday, 10th June 2008
Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) 4/2
Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) bt Rory McNamara (Headfort) 4/3
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Michael Sinclair (Knock) 5/4
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt David Rawluk (Island) 19th

THIRD ROUND
Tuesday, 10th June 2008
Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) bt Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) 3/2.
Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt Connor Doran (Banbridge) 1 hole.
Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) bt Seamus Power (West Waterford) 3/2.
Rory McNamara (Headfort) bt Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) 19th.
Michael Sinclair (Knock) bt Ciaran O’Connor (Athlone) 5/4.
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Gavin Reid (Spa) 1 hole.
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Garth McGee (Malone) 2/1.
David Rawluk (Island) bt Richard McDowell (Royal Belfast) 2/1.

SECOND ROUND
Monday, 9th June 2008
Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) bt James Patterson (Knock) 2/1.
Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) bt Matthew Welsh (Knock) 3/2.
Connor Doran (Banbridge) bt Robert Cannon (L’town & B’town) 19th.
Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt Warren Kelly (Killeen) 1 hole.
Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) bt Niall Gorey (Lee Valley) 2/1.
Seamus Power (West Waterford) bt Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) 3/2.
Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) bt Thomas O’Flynn (Fota Island) 4/2.
Rory McNamara (Headfort) bt Shane Lowry (Esker Hills) 2/1.
Ciaran O’Connor (Athlone) bt Gerard Lawlor (Citywest) 5/3.
Michael Sinclair (Knock) bt Andrew Hogan (Newlands) 1 hole.
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Michael Durcan (Co. Sligo) 7/6.
Gavin Reid (Spa) bt Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) 3/1.
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Harry Diamond (Belvoir Park) 5/4.
Garth McGee (Malone) bt Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) 4/3.
David Rawluk (Island) bt Des Morgan (Mullingar) 19th.
Richard McDowell (Royal Belfast) bt Paul Cutler (Portstewart) 19th.

FIRST ROUND
Monday, 9th June 2008
Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) bt David Carvill (Belvoir Park) 4/3.
James Patterson (Knock) bt Stephen Brady (Co. Sligo) 3/2.
Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) bt Richard Bridges (Stackstown) 3/2.
Matthew Welsh (Knock) bt Alex McCloy (Ballymena) 1 hole.
Connor Doran (Banbridge) bt Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park) 3/2.
Robert Cannon (L’town & B’town) bt Patrick Sheehy (Lahinch) 2 holes.
Warren Kelly (Killeen) bt Luke Lennox (Moyola Park) 1 hole.
Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt Garth Boyd (Donaghadee) 3/2.
Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) bt Cathal O’Malley (Westport) 19th.
Niall Gorey (Lee Valley) bt Gerard Dunne (Seapoint) 2/1.
Seamus Power (West Waterford) bt James Fox (Portmarnock) 2/1.
Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) bt Chris Carvill (Belvoir Park) 5/4.
Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) bt Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) 3/1.
Thomas O’Flynn (Fota Island) bt Alistair McKinley (Shandon Park) 19th.
Rory McNamara (Headfort) bt Philip Purdy (Shandon Park) 1 hole.
Shane Lowry (Esker Hills) bt Ruaidhri McGee (Rosapenna) 4/2.
Ciaran O’Connor (Athlone) bt Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye) 1 hole.
Gerard Lawlor (City West) bt Keith Crowley (Lee Valley) 4/2.
Michael Sinclair (Knock) bt Johnny Mallon (Dungannon) 1 hole.
Andrew Hogan (Newlands) bt Paul Buckley (Kanturk) 1 hole.
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Alan Dunbar (Rathmore) 1 hole.
Michael Durcan (Co. Sligo) bt Clancy Bowe (Tramore) 5/4.
Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) bt Jim Carvill (Warrenpoint) 4/2.
Gavin Reid (Spa) bt Simon Ward (Co. Louth) 2/1.
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Barry Fennelly (Royal Dublin) 2/1.
Harry Diamond (Belvoir Park) bt Joe Crangle (Fortwilliam) 3/2.
Garth McGee (Malone) bt Ross Oliver (Carrickfergus) 4/3.
Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) bt Pat Murray (Limerick) 3/1.
Des Morgan (Mullingar) bt Nicky Grant (Knock) 1 hole.
David Rawluk (Island) bt Andrew Morris (Belvoir Park) 5/3.
Richard McDowell (Royal Belfast) bt Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) 2/1.
Paul Cutler (Portstewart) bt Dale Baker (Downpatrick) 6/5.

Qualifying Scores:
137: A McCloy (Ballymena) 72 65
141: P Cutler (Portstewart) 70 71
142: P Purdy (Shandon Park) 74 68, D Lernihan (Castle) 71 71
143: J Caldwell (Clandeboye) 70 73
144: S Crowe (Dunmurry) 75 69, D Crowe (Dunmurry) 74 70, N Grant (Knock) 74 70, G Reid (Spa) 73 71, J Patterson (Knock) 72 72, C Carvill (Belvoir Park) 70 74
145: N Gorey (Lee Valley) 73 72, M Sinclair (Knock) 73 72, R Cannon (L'town & B'town) 73 72, J Carvill (Warrenpoint) 71 74, P O'Hanlon (Curragh) 70 75, G McGee (Malone) 70 75
146: C Curley (Newlands) 76 70, S Power (West Waterford) 74 72, R McNamara (Headfort) 73 73, P Murray (Limerick) 72 74, S Ward (Co Louth) 71 75
147: C Doran (Banbridge) 77 70, D Morgan (Mullingar) 77 70, G McDermott (Co Sligo) 76 71, G Lawlor (Citywest) 76 71, D Rawluk (The Island) 75 72, C Bowe (Tramore) 75 72, A Hogan (Newlands) 71 76, S Lowry (Esker Hills) 70 77
148: M Durcan (Co Sligo) 76 72, G Dunne (Seapoint) 75 73, J Crangle (Fortwilliam) 75 73, D Baker (Downpatrick) 75 73, K McDonagh (Athlone) 74 74
149: R Oliver (Carrickfergus) 77 72, W Kelly (Killeen) 77 72, R Bridges (Stackstown) 75 74, A Morris (Belvoir Park) 74 75, D Carvill (Belvoir Park) 73 76, J Fox (Portmarnock) 72 77
150: E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 75 75, R McGee (Rosapenna) 75 75, A McKinley (Shandon Park) 74 76, C Selfridge (Moyola Park) 73 77, G Boyd (Donaghadee) 73 77, J Mallon (Dungannon) 72 78
151: S Brady (Co Sligo) 77 74, J McDowell (Royal Belfast) 77 74, K Crowley (Lee Valley) 76 75, C O'Connor (Athlone) 76 75, N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 76 75, A Dunbar (Rathmore) 75 76, P O'Kane (Moyola Park) 73 78, M Welsh (Knock) 71 80
152: P Buckley (Kanturk) 80 72, C O'Malley (Westport) 80 72, B Fennelly (The Royal Dublin) 77 75, H Diamond (Belvoir Park) 77 75, L Lennox (Moyola Park) 77 75, T O'Flynn (Fota Island) 77 75, P Sheehy (Lahinch) 77 75, G O'Flaherty (Cork) 75 77, A McCormick (Scrabo) 74 78

Non-qualifiers:
152: J Monaghan (The Island) 73 79
153: B Cashman (Belvoir Park) 80 73, D O'Donovan (Muskerry) 80 73, J McGinn (L'town & B'town) 79 74, D Vaughan (Ardglass) 79 74, J Hughes (Douglas) 78 75, G McAuley (Dunmurry) 77 76, T Cleary (East Clare) 77 76, C Fairweather (Knock) 76 77, G Kelly (Co Louth) 75 78, S Paul (Tandragee) 75 78
154: M Rowe (Glasson) 80 74, R Leonard (Banbridge) 79 75, G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 78 76, R Weldon (Hermitage) 78 76, M Mullen (Wexford) 78 76, M McGinley (Grange) 78 76, E Haugh (Castletroy) 77 77, G Lynas (Shandon Park) 75 79
155: C Brown (Royal Portrush) 82 73, D O'Brien (L'town & B'town) 79 76, M McMurray (Bangor) 79 76, G Hamill (Ardglass) 78 77, S Loftus (Lahinch) 78 77, R McCarthy (The Island) 77 78, D Boyle (Cruit Island) 77 78, S Moloney (Castletroy) 75 80
156: J Waldron (Muskerry) 81 75, D Beattie (Whitehead) 80 76, G Hall (Edenderry) 80 76, N Cunningham (England) 79 77, D McCusker, (Moyola Park) 77 79, S Barry (Lee Valley) 76 80
157: C Murphy (Clandeboye) 81 76, J McKinstry (Cairndhu) 81 76, J Mulready (Castle) 80 77, M Shanahan (West Waterford) 79 78, M Hammond (Moyola Park) 78 79, B Campbell (Malone) 78 79, G Dillon (Heath) 78 79, B Galway (Cairndhu) 76 81
158: R Evans (Moyola Park) 83 75, D Downie (Sutton) 82 76, S Lyttle (Royal Portrush) 81 77, K Lewis (Skerries) 79 79, J Finnegan (Royal Portrush) 76 82, N O'Connor (Elm Park) 75 83
159: B Walton (The Island) 84 75, D King (Tramore) 83 76, T McClements (Holywood) 82 77, J Timony (Headfort) 82 77, P Davidson (Mahee Island) 81 78, B O'Brien (Headfort) 77 82, E McAnoy (Knock) 75 84
160: D Coyne (Galway) 81 79, S Webster (Castle) 79 81, W McCully (Donaghadee) 78 82, A Dooley (Glasson) 77 83
161: P McGrath (Lahinch) 83 78, G Carew (Edenderry) 80 81, M McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 80 81, S Keelan (Douglas) 79 82
162: A O'Callaghan (Douglas) 79 83, J Turner (Royal Portrush) 78 84
163: G McKenna (Fortwilliam) 87 76, M Thompson (Bangor) 82 81, D McNeill (Rosapenna) 79 84
164: S Miskelly (Knock) 84 80, A McAuley (Ardee) 81 83, A Meharg (Scrabo) 81 83, S Dwyer (Newlands) 80 84, J Lyons (Galway) 79 85
166: M McIlroy (Royal Co Down) 88 78, G Donaghy (Island Country) 86 80, M Buggy (Castlecomer) 80 86
167: S Doherty (Malone) 85 82
170: J Owens (Bangor) 84 86
NR: J McWilliams (Belvoir Park) 80 NR, A Wilson (Cairndhu) 86 NR
RTD: E Kennedy (Rosapenna) 79 RT, B Loftus (Ennis) 82 RT, B Keenan (The Heath) 81 RT, R Boal (Castle) 73 RT