The old debate over the value of youth over experience will be settled at Lahinch today as a string of veterans take on some young guns in the last 16 of the Pierse Motors VW-sponsored South of Ireland Championship.

But the lineup is without leading qualifier Ryan Griffin from Ballybofey & Stranorlar. He was forced to withdraw with a back injury in bizarre circumstances after slipping in the shower between his first and second-round matches.

Griffin had a hard-fought, 1-up win over Ballybunion’s Senan Carroll in the first match of the day but after returning to his accommodation to shower and get ready for his second-round clash with Douglas’ James Walsh, his fall triggered a recurrence of back problems and he joined leading players Jack McDonnell, Keith Egan, Hugh Foley, TJ Ford and Jack Hearn on the road home.  

“I’ve had bother with my back since March and then after this morning, I came back for a shower and ended up slipping in the bathroom,” Griffin explained. “I wasn’t really able to turn at all then once I got up, so sadly, I didn’t have any chance. Hopefully, I didn’t do anything too damaging.”

His withdrawal meant a walkover for Douglas’ James Walsh, who faces Lahinch’s Stephen Loftus, a 42-year-old solicitor who is dreaming of becoming the first home winner of the title since JD Smyth in 1968, in this morning’s third round.

"I’m just trying to keep some of the Clare momentum going,” joked Loftus, who could face 18-year-old Co Sligo talent Aodhagan Brady or 53-year-old Pat Murray in the quarter-finals this afternoon.

Murray, the 2012 champion, beat two young guns in Roscommon’s Simon Walker and Roganstown’s Patrick Keeling on a day when many of the bigger names made their exit.

Can Murray keep it going?

“If I keep playing the way I am playing, I can,” said the Tramore Golf Club general manager, who was two down after three holes to Keeling before playing the next six in four-under to go three up.

“I have no knocks and I feel good. A day like today can mentally take it out of you a little bit so I have a bit in the bank after finishing early.

“You are not going to get through six rounds playing great golf so it’s important to have something in the tank.

“There are shots where experience makes all the difference  - middle of the green when the flag is back on 11, staying short of the bunkers, little things like that.”

Former professional Paul O'Hanlon from Carton House, who was runner-up to Niall Kearney in 2008, overcame a four-shot penalty in the first strokeplay round on Wednesday for having an extra club in his bag to qualify for the matchplay.

And the 36-year-old took full advantage, beating Castleknock's Ian O’Connell 7 and 5 before coming back from four down after six to beat Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan 2 up and set up a last 16 clash with Slieve Russell’s Shane McDermott.

Chicago’s Patrick Adler, a 21-year-old overseas member of Lahinch, beat the home club’s Jonathan Keane 3 and 2 to make round three, where he faces Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins, who defeated David Kitt at the 20th.

In the bottom half of the draw, two 16-year-olds could meet in the quarter-finals.

Royal Belfast’s Finlay Eager, who faces Millicent’s Brian Doran, is two days older than Galway Bay’s Rory Gallagher, who takes on Darragh Flynn from Carton House.

“Really happy,” said Gallagher, who beat Castle’s Ross McKeever and Co Louth’s Evan Farrell. “The game was good in the afternoon especially. Held a couple of nice putts and hit a lot better than I did in the morning. But yeah, overall really happy.

“I won the U-18 Order of Merit recently but this would be special to do well. Ever since the start of June, I have been in decent form. But still looking for the win, so hopefully.

 “It’s more just experience, putting myself out there. Haven’t really done much different. I always see the names on leaderboards and stuff but it’s nice to be finally able to play with them.”

Should he make the final, he’ll miss Sunday’s clash of Galway and Armagh at Croke Park. 

“I'd hope to be watching the Galway match, but if this is an excuse, I’ll take it,” he said

The hot favourite for the title remains holder Colm Campbell from Warrenpoint, who hit what he said was the best two-iron of his life—a 245-yard bullet to five feet at the 18th—to set up a conceded eagle and a one-up win over Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill.

“I had two very sticky matches today,” said the experienced 37-year-old, who beat Douglas’ Robert Walsh 2 and 1 in the morning before his last-gasp win in the afternoon.

“You just have to hit good shots and sometimes that’s 30 feet,” said Campbell, who is prepared to be patient and wait for his moment after admitting he struggled on the greens on day one.

He now plays Co Sligo’s Sean McLoughlin with the winner to take on Hermitage’s Aaron Naughton, who was a 3 and 2 winner over 2022 Irish Close champion Quentin Carew, or Galgorm Castle’s Josh Hill.

Hill beat 2019 champion Sean Desmond on the 21st after an epic battle that saw the Monkstown player fight back from three down after ten holes to square the match on the 17th.

South of Ireland Amateur Open, sponsored by Pierse Motors VW, Lahinch GC

Detailed scores

Round one

Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt Senan Carroll (Ballybunion) 1 up;

James Walsh (Douglas) bt Jordan Boles (Charleville) 1 up; 

Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) bt David Reddan (Nenagh) 1 up

Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Niels Knudsen (Lyngbygaard, Den) 3/2;

Pat Murray (Tramore) bt Simon Walker (Roscommon) 5/4;

Patrick Keeling (Roganstown) bt Mark Doogue (Castleknock) 4/3;

Aodhagan Brady (Co Sligo) bt Evan Monaghan (Tullamore) 3/2

Luke O’Neill (Connemara) bt Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) 1 up;

Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) bt William Hemauer (Bluemound, USA) 3/2;

Paul O’Hanlon (Carton House) bt Ian O’Connell (Castleknock) 7/5;

Joe O’Neill (Berehaven) bt Rory McConnell (Belvoir Park) 2 up;

Shane McDermott (PGA National Slieve Russell) bt Tomás Pepper (Ardee) 6/5; 

Patrick Adler (North Shore, USA) bt David Lally (Blainroe) 6/4;

Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) bt Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) 19th;

Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 4/3;

David Kitt (Athenry) bt Jack Hearn (Tramore) 1 up;

Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little) bt Keith Egan (Carton House) 3/1;

Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast) bt Conor Dean (Blainroe) 2 up;

Richard Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) bt Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint)  2/1;

Brian Doran (Millicent) bt Jamie Butler (Naas) 5/4;

Evan Farrell (Co Louth) bt Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 4/3;

Rory Gallagher (Galway Bay) bt Ross McKeever (Castle) 1 up;

Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) bt Cathal Penney (Athenry) 1 up;

Darragh Flynn (Carton House) bt James Marriott (West Surrey) 1 up;

Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt Robert Walsh (Douglas) 2/1;

Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) bt Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin) 5/4; 

Charlie Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt Jack Blake (The Island) 2/1;

Seán McLoughlin (Co Sligo) bt Darren McCormack (Corrstown) 1 up; 

Quentin Carew (Castleknock) bt Paraic McGrath (Galway Bay) 4/2;

Aaron Naughton Hermitage bt Jack McDonnell (Royal Dublin) 2/1; 

Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt Dean O’ Riordan (Fermoy) 1 up;

Seán Desmond (Monkstown) bt Mads Jensen (Odense Eventyr, Den) 2/1

Round two

J Walsh (Douglas) w/o R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) scr;

Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) 2/1;  

Pat Murray (Tramore) bt Patrick Keeling (Roganstown) 2/1; 

Aodhagan Brady (Co Sligo) bt Luke O'Neill (Connemara) 19th; 

Paul O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) 2 up; 

Shane McDermott (PGA National Slieve Russell) bt Joe O'Neill (Berehaven) 4/2; 

Patrick Adler (North Shore, USA) bt Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 3/2; 

Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) bt David Kitt (Athenry) 20th;

Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast) bt Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little) 4/3 

Brian Doran (Millicent) bt Richard Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up;

Rory Gallagher (Galway Bay) bt Evan Farrell (Co Louth) 3/2;

Darragh Flynn (Carton House) bt Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) 2/1;

Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) 1 up;

Seán McLoughlin (Co Sligo) bt Charlie Cooley (Belvoir Park) 4/3; 

Aaron Naughton (Hermitage) bt Quentin Carew (Castleknock) 3/2

Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) v Seán Desmond (Monkstown).

Today - Round three

0800 J Walsh (Douglas) v S Loftus (Lahinch);

0812 P Murray (Tramore) v A Brady (Co Sligo);

0824 P O'Hanlon (Carton House) v S McDermott (Slieve Russell);

0836 P Adler (North Shore, USA) v T Higgins (Roscommon);

0848 F Eager (Royal Belfast) v B Doran (Millicent)l

0900 R Gallagher (Galway Bay) v D Flynn (Carton House);

0912 C Campbell (Warrenpoint) v S McLoughlin (Co Sligo);

0924 A Naughton (Hermitage) v J Hill (Galgorm Castle).