Birdie blitz keeps Dermot McElroy on track to retain West

It takes blood, sweat and tears to win a championship, and holder Dermot McElroy saw all three, both literally and metaphorically, as he battled his way into the semi-finals of the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at County Sligo.

The 22-year old from Ballymena birdied five holes in a row from the 12th to beat Kinsale’s Cathal Butler 3 and 2 in the last 16 before being forced to finish birdie-birdie to beat the ultra-talented 17-year old Kevin LeBlanc by two holes in the afternoon.

As Colm Campbell ended the dream of Co Sligo’s Sean Flanagan to set up a meeting with Castle’s Daniel Holland today, McElroy now face the talented Naas ball-striker Jonathan Yates as he bids to become the first player to retain “the West” since Rory McIlroy in 2006.