Winner Tiarnan McLarnon effectively clinches the Irish Youths with this birdie on th e15th. at Claremorris Golf Club today (30/08/2013). Picture by Pat Cashman/www.cashmanphotography.ieHis two-shot win looks easy on paper but Massereene’s Tiarnan McLarnon had to work hard to clinch an impressive victory in the Irish Youths Amateur Close Championship at Claremorris.

Winner Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) after his victory in the Irish Youths Amateur Close Championship at Claremorris Golf Club today (30/08/2013). Picture by Pat Cashman Esker Hills’ Alan Lowry, Cork’s John Hickey and the defending champion Stuart Grehan from Tullamore all made life tough for the newly-minted Ulster Interprovincial, who led by four shots at halfway thanks to a stunning second round 66 and then extended his lead to six over Rosslare’s Gary Collins with a round to go.

McLarnon’s final round of 78 was his worst of the week by a long way, but his composure on the back nine as things went against him proved the difference as he won from Lowry (71) and Grehan (70) on five under par 287.

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Hickey had drawn level with McLarnon after 13 holes before a triple bogey seven at the 14th effectively ended his challenge while Lowry put together a solid final round, carding a two-under 71 for a three-under total of 289 and second place with Grehan, who was 10 strokes behind the eventual winner with a round to go.

The Tullamore player was still well adrift with nine holes remaining but then set the tournament alight with three birdies in the space of four holes to pile on the pressure.

However, his final total of 289 was good enough for joint second, while McLarnon’s back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16, his first of the fourth round after dropping six shots prior to that time, gave him a cushion.

Michael Connaughton (Chairman, Connacht Branch, GUI) presenting Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) with the Irish Youths Amateur Close Championship trophy after his victory at Claremorris Golf Club today (30/08/2013). Also in the picture are Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan (2nd), Brendan Mellett (Captain, Claremorris Golf Club) and Esker Hills’ Alan Lowry (3rd). Picture by Pat Cashman He could even afford a bogey six at the last, but was a deserving winner to finish what has been a very good year for the Massereene player, having made his debut for Ulster in a winning campaign at the Senior Interprovincial Matches at Lee Valley last month.

Conor Coyne (Youghal) competing in the final round of the Irish Youths Amateur Close Championship at Claremorris Golf Club today (30/08/2013). Picture by Pat CashmanIrish Youths Amateur Close Championship, Claremorris Golf Club (Par 73)

Wednesday 28 Aug - Friday 30 Aug 2013

287 T McLarnon (Massereene) 71 66 72 78

289 A Lowry (Esker Hills) 75 72 71 71, S Grehan (Tullamore) 74 74 71 70

290 J Hickey (Cork) 73 73 70 74

291 R Pierse (Grange) 70 78 73 70

292 A Doran (Ardee) 72 72 76 72, G Collins (Rosslare) 72 70 73 77

293 S Carter (Stackstown) 71 71 74 77

294 J Galbraith (Whitehead) 72 69 76 77

296 C Kennedy (Forrest Little) 76 75 75 70

297 C Butler (Kinsale) 76 74 72 75, R Mullarney (Galway) 72 76 72 77, E Griffin (Waterford) 69 74 74 80

298 M McClean (Balmoral) 79 72 71 76

299 D Carey (Carton House) 76 73 74 76, L Harnett (Milltown) 75 72 74 78

300 C Coyne (Youghal) 74 73 77 76

301 S Bleakley (Shandon Park) 78 71 78 74, E Farrell (Ardee) 76 74 76 75, D Reddan (Nenagh) 74 71 75 81

302 C Crowley (Woodbrook) 78 72 80 72

303 B Murray (Waterford Castle) 78 71 80 74, C Purcell (Portmarnock) 76 75 76 76

304 R McKinstry (Cairndhu) 83 69 78 74

305 T O’Driscoll (Ring Of Kerry) 77 72 75 81, K McCarron (North West) 75 77 79 74

306 E O’Donovan (Craddockstown) 80 72 76 78, P Tobin (Mahon) 76 74 78 78

307 K Lynch (Skibbereen) 77 72 75 83, S Winsby (Whitehead) 76 73 81 77, G Young (Birr) 75 77 77 78, M boucher (Carton House) 74 77 77 79, B McCormack (Castle Barna) 73 76 77 81

310 R O’Connor (Co. Sligo) 75 76 84 75, T Collins (Dun Laoghaire) 74 77 80 79

311 G Mac Namara (Woodbrook) 77 75 80 79

312 D O’Connor (Athlone) 76 73 79 84

313 C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) 80 71 78 84

316 S McGagh (Claremorris) 78 74 82 82

Non-Qualifiers:

 

152 M Nolan (Delgany) 73 79

153 J Whelan (Newlands) 80 73, D Byrne (Athenry) 79 74, L Grehan (Mullingar) 77 76, J Roche (Bray) 77 76, S Mc Carthy (Killeen Castle) 77 76, C Kelly (Enniscrone) 76 77, D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) 76 77, R Murray (Castle) 76 77, S Maloney (Dunmurry Springs) 74 79

154 K Murphy (Charlesland) 81 73, S Clancy (Hermitage) 78 76, S O’Donoghue (Portarlington) 78 76, A Kiernan (Forrest Little) 77 77, A Brennan (Athenry) 77 77, J Leacy (Dungarvan) 76 78, J McDonnell (Forrest Little) 75 79

155 G Leacy (Dungarvan) 81 74, C Gorevan (Carton House) 80 75, E Cradock (Gort) 78 77, C Melvin (Corrstown) 77 78, A Doyle (Bray) 76 79, D Reidy (Co. Sligo) 76 79

156 J Fletcher (Warrenpoint) 82 74, D Jackson (Hilton Templepatrick) 78 78, R O’Doherty (Enniscrone) 78 78, A Myles (Newlands) 76 80, R McCullough (Massereene) 76 80, B Murray (Waterford Castle) 75 81

157 B O’Reilly (Athenry) 81 76, P Coughlan (Moate) 81 76, C Woodroofe (Blainroe) 80 77, D Whitty (Faithlegg) 80 77, S Cannon (Loughrea) 79 78

158 C Glynn (Carton House) 84 74, J Conroy (Bray) 82 76, M Burke (Ballinrobe) 82 76, A Moore (Adare Manor) 81 77

159 A D’Arcy (Ballinrobe) 82 77, M Manweiler Quinn (Bray) 79 80, S Long (Tipperary) 79 80, J Doherty (Ballina) 78 81

160 J Lindsay (North West) 85 75, R O’Dwyer (Callan) 82 78, D Flynn (Carton House) 80 80

161 M Ryan (New Ross) 83 78, P Brennan (Belvoir Park) 83 78, C Dootson (Craddockstown) 78 83

162 D Fitzgerald (Limerick) 83 79, M MacGrath (Limerick) 82 80, D Cosgrove (Kilcock) 81 81, S O’Connor (Carton House) 80 82, R Noonan (Galway Bay) 76 86

163 J Doyle (Forrest Little) 88 75, D Morley (Oughterard) 85 78, P McKeever (Castle) 85 78

164 J Neiland (Blainroe) 80 84

165 M Kiernan (Delgany) 87 78, C Hurley (The Heritage) 84 81, R McKeever (Castle) 76 89

166 D Kelly (Hermitage) 89 77

168 H Coyne (Carton House) 86 82, L O’Hara (Athenry) 84 84

173 C McGoldrick (Enniscrone) 91 82

CSS:
Round 1 = 74
Round 2 = 72 
Round 3 = 74
Round 4 = 72