From the time he signed for a six under par 65 after the first qualifying round on Saturday last, Galway’s Ronan Mullarney looked a very sound bet for his first victory in the AIG Irish Close Championship.

Kinsale teenager John Murphy led a quintet of Irishmen safely through to the matchplay stages of the 123rd Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links.

Kilkenny teenager Mark Power is gunning to become the youngest winner of the West of Ireland since Rory McIlroy in 2006 after he completed two impressive wins on the opening day of matchplay combat at Rosses Point.