Cleary claims Seniors title
Tom Cleary celebrates after holing his final putt on the 18th green at Ardee. Picture: Pat Cashman
Cork's Tom Cleary won the Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Ardee today, his first ever national title.
A former East of Ireland champion, Cleary (62) finished two strokes clear of Tipperary's Arthur Pierse with a 54-hole total of eight over par 221.
Conditions in Ardee proved testing as only one sub-par round was recorded over the whole championship, that by Pierse in his final round as he chased down fellow Irish international Cleary.
"I'm very happy to win it. It's my first big one, I'm delighted to win, delighted.
Cleary's club mate from Cork Peter Cowley was also celebrating as his picked up the Over 70's prize, while Hugh Smyth from Mourne won the Over 65's.
Scotland's Ian Brotherston claimed the Over 60's award.
Irish Seniors Amateur Open, Ardee GC
221 Tom Cleary (Cork) 74 74 73
223 Arthur Pierse (Tipperary Golf Club) 77 76 70, Mike Ready (England) 75 75 73, Andrew Carman (England) 74 74 75
224 Ian Crowther (England) 72 80 72
225 Ian Brotherston (Scotland) 76 73 76, Nigel Evans (Wales) 74 78 73, Mark Stones (England) 72 77 76
226 John Mitchell (Tramore) 75 75 76, Ian Attoe (England) 73 80 73, Hugh Smyth (Mourne) 72 77 77
227 Keith Morris (England) 76 79 72, Alan Mew (England) 76 75 76, Ross Galgut (England) 75 79 73, Richard Partridge (England) 75 76 76
228 Barry O'Leary (Greystones) 78 75 75, Stephen East (England) 75 75 78, Colin Jones (Wales) 74 79 75, Alan Egan (Royal Curragh) 74 76 78, Muir Townsley (Scotland) 73 77 78, Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock) 72 81 75
229 Joseph Mcwilliams (Naas) 80 76 73, Denis Deasy (Waterford) 79 75 75, Ian Fraser (Scotland) 77 76 76, Edward Rogers (Dundalk) 75 80 74
230 Michael Quirke (Doneraile) 77 75 78, Andrew Williams (Wales) 74 78 78, Andrew Atkinson (England) 73 77 80
231 John Ambridge (England) 74 78 79
234 David Brabazon (Balbriggan) 81 75 78, Morgan Pierse (Grange) 79 78 77, Ronnie Berry (Rossmore) 76 79 79
235 Robert Fox (England) 80 77 78, Bert Burke (Moate) 80 77 78, George Mellerick (Fota Island) 79 78 78, Douglas Cameron (England) 78 79 78, Neale Pitches (New Zealand) 77 80 78
236 Brian Bingham (Scotland) 81 76 79, Tom Tyrrell (The Heath) 80 74 82
237 Billy Donlon (Birr) 78 79 80
238 Mervyn Eager (Lucan) 76 80 82, Peter Rogers (Dundalk) 76 78 84
239 Con Boyce (Rosapenna) 80 76 83, Alan Lilley (Ballyclare) 77 79 83
241 Gerard O'Sullivan (Tralee) 73 80 88
243 Peter Cowley (Cork) 86 78 79
253 Hugh MacKeown (Portmarnock) 83 83 87