Conor O’Rourke the standout at windy Lahinch

The great Lahinch links, especially when it is swept by a seriously strong wind from the Atlantic, never fails to provide great matches over the closing stages of the Pierse Motors South of Ireland Championship. 

That is especially the case this year, particularly for followers from the southern part of the country, with five of the eight survivors in the second half of today’s third-round from clubs in Cork city and county.

The last match on the course this morning features the veteran Gary O’Flaherty of Cork Golf Club against the highly promising Mallow youngster James Sugrue. They are preceded by John Murphy from Kinsale, another of the up-and-coming brigade, who faces a daunting but doubtless much-welcomed clash with the highly respected Colm Campbell from Warrenpoint.