Purcell races through to win Munster Mid-Am

Slievenamon’s Kevin Purcell receives the Munster Mid-Amateur Trophy from Jim Long, Chairman Munster Golf. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Slievenamon’s Kevin Purcell defied windy conditions to surge through the field and claim the Munster Mid Amateur Championship by a shot at Gold Coast on Saturday,

He followed an opening 74 with a 68 to triumph by one shot from Dungarvan’s Alan Thomas and Galway Bay’s Eddie McCormack on two-under par.

Kevin Purcell (Slievenamon) receiving the Munster Mid Am Trophy from Jim Long, Chairman Munster Golf. Also included is Ruth Hannigan, Lady Captain Gold Coast Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Fermoy’s Eoghan McCarthy was the only other golfer to break par in the afternoon round, carding a three-under 69 to finish fourth on one-over par.

Purcell was seven shots behind after opening with a two-over 74 to McCormack’s superb, course record 67 in the morning

But he was out first in the afternoon and raced to the turn in four-under 31 before further birdies at the 10th and 11th put him at the head of affairs.

While he would bogey the 14th, 15th and 16th, he made what turned out to be a crucial birdie four at the 18th to finish on two-under par.

Thomas (72, 71) took second place thanks to a three-under back nine, denying McCormack, who led by three shots from Kevin Stack after his first round 67 but shot 76 as the wind picked up in the afternoon. 

Munster Mid-Amateur (over-30s) Open Championship, Gold Coast Golf Club (Par  72)

1, Kevin Purcell (Slievenamon) 142 

2, Alan Thomas (Dungarvan) 143 (2nd 18) 

3, Eddie McCormack (Galway) 143 

4, Eoghan McCarthy (Fermoy) 145 

5, Eoin Marsden (Tullamore) 146 (2nd 18) 

Best nett Neal Mackell (Dundalk) 142 

Second nett Jamie Kiely (Slievenamon) 144

Detailed scores

142 K Purcell (Slievenamon) 74 68

143 A Thomas (Dungarvan) 71 72, E McCormack (Galway) 67 76

145 E McCarthy (Fermoy) 76 69

146 E Marsden (Tullamore) 71 75, K Stack (Dungarvan) 70 76

148 N Mackell (Dundalk) 74 74

149 M Buggy (Castlecomer) 73 76

150 J Kiely (Slievenamon) 76 74, K Collins (Fermoy) 75 75, J Reynolds (Dungarvan) 74 76, M Shanahan (West Waterford) 73 77

151 E Long (Thurles) 73 78

152 J Mulready (Castle) 74 78, H Nolan (Doneraile) 72 80

153 C Jameson (Wicklow) 77 76, P Byrne jnr (Thurles) 75 78

154 E Barton (Dun Laoghaire) 75 79

156 P Mullaney (Dungarvan) 76 80, P Connolly (Killeen Castle) 76 80, K Lewis (Skerries) 75 81, P Buckley (Memorial Houston ) 75 81

157 L Walsh (Fota Island) 81 76, D Coghlan (Portmarnock) 80 77, C Kenny (Portmarnock) 78 79

160 R Connolly (Grange) 82 78, B Loftus (Lahinch) 82 78, P Fitzpatrick (Kanturk) 78 82

161 B Power (Goldcoast) 80 81, J Williams (Castle) 80 81, W Jones (Youghal) 79 82, N Coen (Kilkenny) 77 84

163 S Toomey (Adare Manor) 85 78

164 S Clinton (Coollattin) 80 84

165 G Bagge (Gold Coast) 83 82, A Harty (Gold Coast) 81 84

167 J Foran (Thurles) 81 86

177 M O'Rourke (Royal Dublin) 86 91

NR M White (Gold Coast), C O'Donnell (Fota Island)

RTD D O'Sullivan (Youghal), S Hennessy (Tramore)