Dunne overcomes sleepless night and nerves to claim ‘brilliant’ win

He might have had just five hours sleep and suffered an attack of nerves on the back nine, but no-one could deny that Greystones’ Paul Dunne deserved his one-shot victory in the East of Ireland Amateur Open at sun-splashed County Louth.

The 20-year-old finance student at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), who led four strokes from Headfort’s Brian Casey overnight, saw his lead reduced to just two strokes over the Meath man on seven under with round to go as he shot a morning 72 to Casey’s 70.

In the afternoon he was three clear of Casey with four to play and then just two ahead playing the last after a nervy double bogey at the 17th.