Surprises continue at Royal Portrush
Whitehead's John Ross Galbraith is the favourite for the North. Picture: Pat Cashman
The Irish selectors will have a tough task picking a side for next month's Home Internationals at the Antrim venue after Gary Collins, Caolan Rafferty, John Ross Galbraith and David Sutton surged into Friday's semi-finals of the Cathedral Eye sponsored North of Ireland Amateur Open at Royal Portrush.
The third round set up some fascinating duels with the big surprises the defeats of Paul McBride to Galway's Ronan Mullarney that of leading qualifier Geoff Lenehan to Lurgan's Sutton and the fall of Colm Campbell to Collins.
There were more upsets in the quarter-finals and while Collins was always going to be a tough nut for Robin Dawson, who fell 3 and 2, few expected international McElroy to fall to Dundalk's Rafferty or Rowan Lester to go down to surprise package Sutton.
Sutton now faces Irish Close champion and current international John Ross Galbraith for a place in the decider against Rafferty or Collins.
North of Ireland Amateur Open, Royal Portrush
Semi-finals - Friday July 17
- Gary Collins (Rosslare) v Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk)
- John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) v David Sutton (Lurgan)
Quarter-finals
- Gary Collins (Rosslare) bt Robin Dawson (Faithlegg) 3/2
- Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) bt Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) 1 hole
- John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) bt Ronan Mullarney (Galway) 3/2
- David Sutton (Lurgan) bt owan Lester (Hermitage) 1 hole
Third Round
- Robin Dawson (Faithlegg) bt Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint) 19th
- Gary Collins (Rosslare) bt Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) 2/1
- Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) bt Finlay Mason (Moor Hall) 5/3
- Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) bt William Hanna (Kilkeel) 3/
- John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) bt Colin Fairweather (Knock) 1 hole
- Ronan Mullarney (Galway) bt Paul McBride (The Island) 19th
- David Sutton (Lurgan) bt Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) 1 hole
- Rowan Lester (Hermitage) bt Daniel Holland (Castle) 3/2
