Jack McDonnell is looking forward to putting himself in contention for representative honours after he sent a friend laughing all the way to the bookies by retaining the Balbriggan Senior Scratch Cup.

Now playing Senior Cup golf for Laytown and Bettystown, the 25-year old Forrest Little talent produced a clutch finish to add a 71 to his opening 72 and edge out Hermitage's Rowan Lester on a countback in the 36-hole, Ace Express Freight-sponsored event.

Castle's Robert Moran set the pace in the morning round, defying blustery conditions and some tricky pin positions to fire six birdies in a five-under 67 and lead by two strokes from Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon and by three from Lester as Walker Cup player Caolan Rafferty struggled to a 76 on the pristine parkland track.

Moran and Cannon would fade with 77's in the afternoon, and it was defending champion McDonnell who walked away with the top prize, edging out Lester by virtue of his afternoon score.

Lester saved a brilliant par at the 17th, where he was short-sided under the trees but almost chipping in for birdie and went to the last needing a birdie to overtake Moran in the clubhouse.

But while he achieved his goal, rolling in a six-footer for a 73 to set the target at one-under, McDonnell was not to be denied on a day that brought brilliant sunshine and the presence of former Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley, who watched son Killian card rounds of 74 and 77 in elite company.

McDonnell was level par with four holes to go, but after stitching his approach to the 15th to get to one-under, he pulled his tee shot into the lake at the 16th before getting up and down from 60 yards, again hitting his approach stone dead to escape with a brilliant bogey four.

He needed to play the last two holes in one-under to claim the top prize and promptly sank a slick 20 footer at the 17th for birdie before two-putting the last for par.

His closing five was not without drama as he ran his 25-foot approach putt four feet past but calmly stroked home the return for victory.

"I told one of the lads to put €100 on a docket at 16/1, so hopefully he actually did that," said McDonnell, who won a €500 voucher for his win. "I must text him now."

With the amateur season set to resume, he's looking forward now to more strokeplay competition on treelined, parkland courses in events such as the Mullingar Scratch Cup and the Munster Strokeplay Championship at Cork Golf Club.

A Connacht interprovincial, he's also keen to step up to the next level and make an Irish squad.

"Hopefully I can get myself onto some team of some sort," he said. "There are no Interpros or Homes this year, but I will keep working out it, and hopefully I can get myself on the panel for the following year."

Moran took third place on level par after rounds of 67 and 77 with Malone international Matt McClean fourth on one-over after a 70.

That two-under-par afternoon round by McClean was the joint best of the afternoon alongside Enniscorthy's Paul Conroy, who won the prize for the best second round.

The Junior Scratch Cup was also a close-fought affair with Edmondstown's Thomas Abom edging out Balbriggan's Jake Vickers after a countback. Playing off five, Abom shot rounds of 82 and 73 to win the €250 voucher from four-handicapper Vickers (81-74) by virtue of his better afternoon round.

Balbriggan Senior Scratch Cup, sponsored by Ace Express Freight (Par 72)

Final

CSS - Round 1 - Members74/Visitors 75/ Round 2— Members74/Visitors 74

Senior Scratch Cup

Gross

1. Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) 72 71 143

2. Rowan Lester (Hermitage) 70 73 143

3. Robert Moran (Castle) 67 77 144

4. Matthew McClean (Malone) 75 70 145

Nett - Richard Finn (Newbridge) (Scr) 73 72 145

First 18 - Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) 69

Second 18 - Paul Conroy (Enniscorthy) 70

Junior Scratch Cup

1. Thomas Abom (Edmondstown/5) 82 73 155

2. Jake Vickers (Balbriggan/4) 81 74 155

3. Joe Jun Coates (Balbriggan/4) 80 76 156

4. Jamie Doyle (Forrestl Little/4) 80 76 156

Nett - Jack McDonnell (Balbriggan/6) 75 72 147

First 18 - Greg Lewis Jnr (Balbriggan/4) 78

Second 18 - Robert Shortall (St Margaret’s/5) 75

Balbriggan Junior Scratch Cup, sponsored by Ace Express Freight (Par 72)

Final