Maurice Kelly (Naas) winner of the 2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Maurice Kelly claimed his fifth Irish Seniors Close Championship with a six-shot win at Enniscrone.

The Naas veteran Kelly entered the final round with a two-shot cushion but dropped three shots on the front nine to fall one behind Tuam’s Alan Moran.

Disaster struck for Moran at the 10th, however, where he ran up a triple bogey seven and Kelly caught fire on the back nine, finishing on five-under after making eagle at the par-five 14th and birdies at the 13th and 16th for a one-under 72.

Champion in 2009, 2010, 2014 and 2015, Kelly’s fifth triumph makes him the most successful player in the history of the championship, which was first played in 2009.

Castlerock’s David Mulholland finished second on plus one having carded a 74 in the final round while England’s Steve Graham posted 75 to finish third.

Tramore’s John Mitchell took the category prize for the over 60s. Tralee’s Michael Coote was best in the over 65 category and Peter Cowley from Cork led the over 70s.

2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf

David Mulholland (Castlerock) driving at the 7th tee during the final round of the 2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf Club today (06/07/2018). Picture by Pat Cashman

2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf

Noel McGrane (Royal Dublin) driving at the 12th tee during the final round of the 2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf Club today (06/07/2018). Picture by Pat Cashman

2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf

Steve Graham (East Sussex National) playing his second shot to the 12th green during the final round of the 2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf Club today (06/07/2018). Picture by Pat Cashman

2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf

Maurice Kelly (Naas) reacts to his eagle putt on the 14th green during the final round of the 2018 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Enniscrone Golf Club today (06/07/2018). Picture by Pat Cashman

Irish Seniors Close Championship, Enniscrone (Par 73)

Detailed scores

Final

214 M Kelly (Naas) 71 71 72

220 D Mulholland (Castlerock) 71 75 74

221 S Graham (East Sussex Nat) 76 70 75

222 A Egan (Royal Curragh) 73 74 75

223 A Moran (Tuam) 73 71 79

224 M Coote (Tralee) 74 77 73

226 S Underwood (Co. Sligo) 79 71 76; H Smyth (Mourne) 74 76 76

227 P Sheehan (Ballybunion) 80 79 68; E Haugh (Castletroy) 78 73 76; J O'Brien (Castlemartyr) 77 75 75; R Cross (Enniscrone) 75 76 76

228 J Mitchell (Tramore) 78 77 73

230 K Bornemann (Douglas) 83 72 75

231 J McVeigh (Carlow) 80 75 76

232 A Brannock (Newlands) 82 75 75; P Lyons (Cork) 79 76 77; R McDowell (Royal Belfast) 77 77 78

233 M Ahern (Skerries) 82 77 74; L Halpin (Westport) 80 77 76

234 T McClements (Clandeboye) 86 74 74

235 C Murphy (Clandeboye) 80 82 73; P Rogers (Dundalk) 79 78 78; P Cowley (Cork) 77 78 80

236 T Hayes (Co. Louth) 85 74 77; M McMurray (Royal Portrush) 84 72 80

237 B O'Leary (Greystones) 86 74 77; A Lilley (Ballyclare) 85 69 83

238 J Garvey (Seapoint) 82 79 77; F Flynn (Laytown & Bettystown ) 78 82 78

239 E Power (Kilkenny) 79 82 78

240 M Quirke (Doneraile) 85 77 78; D O'Loughlin (Kingswood) 85 77 78; S Alley (Co. Tipperary) 79 79 82; T Kelly (Balcarrick) 74 81 85

242 B Donlon (Birr) 83 76 83; B Burke (Moate) 82 77 83; P Bevins (Carlow) 81 81 80

245 M Gaynor (Co. Meath) 80 82 83

246 W Doggart (Clandeboye) 88 74 84

247 J Hughes (Balcarrick) 80 82 85

248 N Mannion (Dun Laoghaire) 85 76 87; I Smyth (Clandeboye) 84 75 89

249 D Smith (Millicent) 79 83 87

250 D Varian (Dun Laoghaire) 75 85 90

251 M Chambers (Royal Dublin) 82 77 92

NR N McGrane (Royal Dublin) 84 66; E Heywood (City of Derry) 79 79

NS J Dempsey (Royal Curragh) 82 80

Non-qualifiers

163 A Wynne (Strandhill) 82 81; D O'Neill (The Links Portmarnock) 81 82

164 P Madigan (Waterford Castle) 88 76; R Timlin (Galway) 84 80; L Connolly (Wexford) 83 81; D Hogan (Newlands) 83 81; N Duke (Killiney) 82 82; F Leonard (Knightsbrook ) 81 83; T Tyrrell (The Heath) 79 85

165 S Ward (Laytown & Bettystown) 87 78; M McCormick (West Middlesex) 86 79; D O'Donovan (Bandon) 86 79; M Eaton (Holywood) 83 82; B Hobson (Malone) 81 84; D Linehan (Muskerry) 80 85; V Carney (Beech Park) 79 86

166 P Mitchell (Holywood) 87 79; J Hughes (Woodbrook) 86 80; P Lewis (Woodbrook) 84 82; C McIlroy (Holywood) 84 82; P Butler Jnr (Newlands) 83 83; D Sheedy (Lahinch) 82 84; D Weekes (Malone) 81 85

167 P McGilloway (Hermitage) 87 80; S Carter (Mountrath) 85 82; M O'Neill (Clonmel) 85 82; K Knightly (Royal Dublin) 82 85; R Fitzgerald (Tramore) 82 85; J Houlihan (Dooks) 81 86

168 N Woods (Bangor) 87 81; J Bodkin (Tuam) 84 84; C Hurst (Pedham Place ) 83 85; F Harrold (Castletroy) 82 86; C Harrington (Southfield) 81 87; M Crowley (Naas) 80 88

169 J Williams (Castle) 93 76; P Morgan (Co. Sligo) 85 84; S Healy (Galway) 82 87

170 K Lawlor (Beaverstown) 89 81; T Saunders (Ennis) 87 83

172 I Harbourne (Newlands) 89 83; M Higgins (Claremorris) 83 89

173 T Byrne (Greystones) 89 84; P Browne (Laytown & Bettystown) 77 96

174 B O'Malley (Royal Dublin) 90 84; M Hogan (Glasson) 88 86

175 H MacKeown (Portmarnock) 91 84

176 M Donohue (Portumna) 97 79

177 G Hutchinson (Royal Belfast) 91 86; D Francis (Ashbourne) 91 86

179 G Fox (Strandhill) 91 88

184 S O'Mahony (Galway) 90 94

187 T Griffin (Corballis Links) 91 96

188 A Bell (Greencastle) 95 93

WD H O'Leary (Muskerry) 83 WD; M Scott (Luttrellstown Castle) 84 WD; B Bolger (Portmarnock) 81 WD

NR M Horan (Birr Golf Club); P Higgins (Naas); D Egan (Moyvalley); P Reilly (Co. Louth)

RTD A Morrow (Portmarnock); C Walshe (Dundalk); K Sheehy (Athlone); R McDonnell (Co. Louth); J Hutchinson (Royal Dublin)

NR P Fulham (Glenlo Abbey); G Eagleton (Virginia); R Joyce (Oughterard); P Killeen (Claremorris)