North: McClean on track at Portrush

Matthew McClean (Malone). Picture by Pat Cashman

Leading qualifier Matthew McClean remains on track for glory in the North of Ireland Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush.

He beat Castle's Peter McKeever 4 and 2 and Belvoir Park's Barry Cashman by the same margin to set up a semi-final showdown with Rosslare's Ian Lynch. 

Tyrone Clarke (19) bowed out in the quarterfinals when he fell to 3 and 2 to Ardglass' Adam Mulhall who now faces Kieran Babbage from The Players Club in Bristol.

Baggage beat Patrick McCrudden and Matt McAlpin, who had beaten McCrudden's brother Richard in the third round, to take his place in the last four.

Lynch saw off Waterford's Eanna Griffin on the 19th in the quarter-finals having beaten Lisburn's Christopher Moulds in the third round. 

North of Ireland 2018, Royal Portrush GC

Match play draw

Third round - Thursday, July 12

1. E Griffin (Waterford) bt M Ryan Jnr (New Ross) 3/1;
2. I Lynch (Rosslare) bt C Moulds (Lisburn) 4/3;
3. B Cashman (Belvoir Park) bt S Coulter (Warrenpoint) 19th;
4. M McClean (Malone) bt P McKeever (Castle) 4/2;
5. M McAlpin (Royal Portrush) bt R McCrudden (Royal Portrush) 5/4;
6. K Babbage (The Players Club) bt P McCrudden (Royal Portrush) 4/3;
7. T Clarke (Royal Portrush) bt B Best (Rathmore) 2/1;
8. A Mulhall (Ardglass) bt G Collins (Rosslare) 3/2.

Quarter-finals - Thursday, July 12

1. Ian Lynch (Rosslare) bt Eanna Griffin (Waterford) 19th;
2. Matthew McClean (Malone) bt Barry Cashman (Belvoir Park) 4/2
3. Kieran Babbage (The Players Club) bt Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 1 h;
4. Adam Mulhall (Ardglass) bt Tyrone Clarke (Royal Portrush) 3/1.

Semi-finals - Friday, July 13

1. 0815 Ian Lynch (Rosslare) v Matthew McClean (Malone)
2. 0830 Kieran Babbage (The Players Club) v Adam Mulhall (Ardglass)