Purcell and Flanagan making moves at Portrush
Portmarnock's Conor Purcell. Picture: Pat Cashman
Conor Purcell and Sean Flanagan continued their bid to win call ups for the Home Internationals with a brace of wins on day one of matchplay combat in the North of Ireland Amateur Open at Royal Portrush.
Portmarnock talent Purcell, the match winner for Leinster in the recent Interprovincials, beat Danny Cullen and Joe Lyons by one hole in each of his matches to set up a third round meeting with Irish Close champion Tiarnan McLarnon.
McLarnon came back from two down with three to play to beat Eugene Smith at the 24th in round one before easing to a 4 and 2 win over Kealan Quigg.
Co Sligo talent Flanagan, one of the better performers in the Interpros at Fota Island, beat Graeme Arthur 2 and 1 before defeating Eanna Griffin by the same score in the afternoon.
The Rosses Point man now meets Ben Best in the last 16 where title favourites such as Dermot McElroy and Colm Campbell are still very much alive.
North of Ireland Amateur Open, Royal Portrush
Today — Round three
- William Russell v Paul Reavey
- Dean Crawford v Dermot McElroy
- Conor Purcell v Tiarnan McLarnon
- Owen Crooks v Colm Campbell
- Aaron Kearney v Jordan Hood
- Declan Reidy v Marc Nolan
- Sean Flanagan v Ben Best
- Ross Dutton v Garth Boyd
Round two
- William Russell bt Kyle McCarron 19th
- Paul Reavey bt Paul Murphy 19th
- Dean Crawford bt Christopher Barber 21st
- Dermot McElroy bt Stephen Watts 1 Hole
- Conor Purcell bt Joe Lyons 1 Hole
- Tiarnan McLarnon bt Kealan Quigg 4&2
- Owen Crooks bt Christopher Morgan 5&4
- Colm Campbell bt Keith Egan 20th
- Aaron Kearney bt Andrew Morris 1 Hole
- Jordan Hood bt Jack Owens 2&1
- Declan Reidy bt Geoff Lenehan 2&1
- Marc Nolan bt Reece Black 20th
- Sean Flanagan bt Eanna Griffin 2&1
- Ben Best bt John Finnegan 3&1
- Ross Dutton bt Colin Fairweather 3&2
- Garth Boyd bt Adam Brown 4&3
Round One
- William Russell bt Colm Hughes 2 Holes
- Kyle McCarron bt Michael Abram 4/3
- Paul Reavey bt Bryan Martin 1 Hole
- Paul Murphy bt Jonathan Yates 4&2
- Dean Crawford bt Cathal Nolan 1 Hole
- Christopher Barber bt Devin Morley 3&2
- Stephen Watts bt Ryan Berkeley 7&6
- Dermot McElroy bt Caolan Rafferty 4&2
- Joe Lyons bt Michael Reid 19th
- Conor Purcell bt Danny Cullen 1 Hole
- Kealan Quigg bt Conor Ryan 5&4
- Tiarnan McLarnon bt Eugene Smith 24th
- Christopher Morgan bt Peter Cummins 6&5
- Owen Crooks bt Ronan Mullarney 4&2
- Keith Egan bt Michael Sinclair 2&1
- Colm Campbell bt Philip Kelly 7&5
- Aaron Kearney bt Conor O'Rourke 3&2
- Andrew Morris bt Ryan Long 21st
- Jordan Hood bt Stephen Kinch 4&2
- Jack Owens bt Robbie Pierse 2 Holes
- Declan Reidy bt Rowan Lester 1 Hole
- Geoff Lenehan bt Peter McKeever 2&1
- Reece Black bt David Sutton 3&2
- Marc Nolan bt Greg Mungovan 3&2
- Eanna Griffin bt Gary Collins 2&1
- Sean Flanagan bt Graeme Arthur 2&1
- Ben Best bt Nicholas McClay 4&3
- John Finnegan bt Graeme Laird 19th
- Colin Fairweather bt Derek Turkington 6&5
- Ross Dutton bt Karl Eccles 9&8
- Adam Brown bt Jake Whelan 19th
- Garth Boyd bt Eoin Leonard 5&3
