Athlone’s Kelan McDonagh will meet Irish Close champion Dara Lernihan in the first of this afternoon’s quarter-finals in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch.

Castletroy’s Cian Daly beat Kilkenny’s Paul O’Hara and will face Headfort’s Brian Casey, who beat the Island’s James Monaghan with a par at the 19th after an extraordinary stroke of luck on the final hole of regulation play.

Castletroy’s Cian Daly gets underway against Headfort’s Brian Casey in the quarter-finals of the South of Ireland at LahinchThe Meath man’s approach flew over the boundary wall, hit the wall on the far side of the road and rebounded back into play, finishing 20 feet from the pin where he two-putted for an eventual half in birdie fours.

Skerries youngster Sam Devey defeated South County’s Shane McGlynn 2 and 1 to earn a quarter-final clash with Carlow’s wild-haired star, John Greene, who was a 2 and 1 winner over the 16-year old Irish Boys international Liam Harnett of Milltown.

In the bottom match, Lahinch hero Thomas Neenan will take on championship favourite Pat Murray, who saw off a stern challenge from the wild but big-hitting left-hander Mark Shanahan to win by two holes.

Quarter-finals

2.00 Kelan McDonagh (Athlone/NUIM) v Dara Lernihan (Castle)

McDonagh 2 up after 12

2.10 Brian Casey (Headfort) v Cian Daly (Castletroy)

Daly 1 up after 10

2.20 Sam Devey (Skerries) v John Greene (Carlow)

Greene 1 up after 9

2.30 Thomas Neenan (Lahinch) v Pat Murray (Limerick)

Murray 4 up after 8 (from 1 down after 3, he’s won 5 holes in a row)

Fifth round
Kelan McDonagh (Athlone/NUIM) bt Mark Sheridan (Old Conna) 4/3
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Reeve Whitson (Mourne) 3/2
Brian Casey (Headfort) bt James Monaghan (The Island) 19th
Cian Daly (Castletroy) bt Paul O’Hara (Kilkenny) 4/3
Sam Devey (Skerries) bt Shane McGlynn (South County) 2/1
John Greene (Carlow) bt Liam Harnett (Milltown) 2/1
Thomas Neenan (Lahinch) bt Richard O’Donovan (Lucan) 1 hole
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Mark Shanahan (West Waterford) 2 holes