McIlroy through after thrilling Rosses Point duel

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is still on course for the Radisson SAS West of Ireland title at Rosses Point after producing a stellar performance to beat Scrabo’s Ryan Boal with a birdie at the 20th in the first round.

The 16-year-old then had to keep his cool to see off Ballyliffin’s Shaun Doherty by 2 and 1 and clinch his place in the last 16.

“I was really happy to win that match. Ryan played some great golf but I just managed to hole the putts when I had to hole them,” said McIlroy.

The young prodigy looked to be cruising against Boal (aged 28) when he played the front nine in an estimated five under par to go three up.

But with the wind lashing the links, he lost the next three holes and then double bogeyed the 15th to go one down.

After halving the 16th with a six foot par save, he levelled the match with a vital 18-foot par putt at the 17th before Boal lipped out with a similar effort.

Boal looked to have sealed a famous win when he knocked a wedge to six inches at the last for a tap in birdie.

But McIlroy followed him in from ten feet and then clinched victory at the 20th with a bump-and-run chip to four feet setting up a winning birdie.

England international David Horsey won both his matches and is on course for a semi-final clash with McIlroy on Tuesday morning.

But it was also a good day overall for Ulster hopes as Randal Evans, Conor Doran, Andrew McCormick, Darren Crowe and Chris Hughes all progressed to the last 16.

Dunmurry man Crowe had to birdie the 19th to see off Robert Cannon in the first round before defeating Michael Sinclair by 4 and 3 in an all-Ulster second round clash.

Scrabo's McCormick also looks in excellent form on the evidence of his 5 and 4 victory over Ballyliffin's Brendan McCarroll while Munster Youths champion Seamus Power had excellent wins over Joe Moore and Harry Diamond.

Radisson SAS sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Championship, Co Sligo GC.

Matchplay, first round – First Quarter: R Evans (Moyola Park) bt W McCully (Donaghadee) 2/1; A Hogan (Newlands) bt N Grant (Knock) 2 holes; D Downie (Sutton) bt D Finn (Mallow) 4/3; P Errity (Delgany) bt P Murray (Limerick) 4 and 3; K Stack (Dungarvan/UCC) bt C Bornemann (Douglas) 3/1; F Rafferty (Dungannon) bt M Rowe (Athlone) 19th; J Harding (City of Derry) bt D McInerney (Lahinch) 1 hole; D Horsey (Styal, UK) bt R Williams (Baltinglass) 2 holes.

Second Quarter: D Morgan (Mullingar) bt J Somers (Laytown and Bettystown) 5/4; C Doran (Banbridge) bt J Neary (Galway) 6/5; D Boyle (Cruit Island) bt B Cashman (Belvoir Park) 20th; D Moran (The Island) bt A Menton (Wisely, UK) 2/1; M Campbell (Stackstown) bt G Managh (Knock) 2/1; T O’Neill (Rathsallagh) bt G McDermott (Co Sligo) 1 up; S Doherty (Ballyliffin) bt R Maher (Nenagh) 1 hole; R McIlroy (Holywood) bt R Boal (Scrabo) 20th.

Third Quarter: S Power (West Waterford) bt J Moore (Laytown and Bettystown) 4/3; H Diamond (Holywood) bt K Kennedy (Co Tipperary) 20th; G Bowden (Hermitage) bt J Turner (Royal Portrush) 6/4; S Moloney (Castletroy) bt P McGrath (Dromoland) 1 hole; B McCarroll (Ballyliffin) bt C Martin (Nenagh) 4/2; A McCormick (Scrabo) bt K McCarthy (Kinsale) 2/1; J Lyons (Galway) bt S Paul (Tandragee) 1 hole; M Collins (Sutton) bt M Malone (Belvoir Park) 2/1.

Fourth Quarter: D Crowe (Dunmurry) bt RJ Cannon (Laytown and Bettystown) 19th; M Sinclair (Knock) bt S Keenan (Galway) 1 hole; C Hughes (Royal Portrush) bt A Dowling (Hermitage) 3/1; P Connolly (Clontarf) bt E O’Sullivan (The Island) 1 hole; P O’Hanlon (Curragh) bt A Harty (West Waterford) 3/1; N O’Connor (Elm Park/UCD) bt M Horan (Birr) 1 hole; P Sheehan (Ballybunion) bt K O’Neill (Strandhill) 6 and 5; E Kennedy (Strabane) bt D Houlihan (K Club) 2/1.

Second round

R Evans beat A Hogan 2/1;

D Downie beat P Errity 9/7

K Stack beat F Rafferty 1 Hole

D Horsey beat J Harding 5/4

C Doran beat Des Morgan 3/2;

D Moran bt D Boyle 3/1;

T O’Neill bt M Campbell 1 hole;

R McIlroy bt S Doherty 2/1;

S Power bt H Diamond 3/2

G Bowden bt S Moloney 21st;

A McCormick bt B McCarroll 5/4

J Lyons bt M Collins 1h;

D Crowe bt M Sinclair 4/3;

C Hughes bt P Connolly 7/5;

P O’Hanlon bt N O’Connor 2/1;

P Sheehan bt E Kennedy 4/3.

Third round draw

(08.00) R Evans (Moyola Park) v D Downie (Sutton);

(08.09) K Stack (Dungarvan/UCC) v D Horsey (Styal, UK);

(08.18) C Doran (Banbridge) v D Moran (The Island);

(08.27) T O’Neill (Rathsallagh) v R McIlroy (Holywood);

(08.36) S Power (West Waterford) v G Bowden (Hermitage);

(08.45) A McCormick (Scrabo) v J Lyons (Galway);

(08.54) D Crowe (Dunmurry) v C Hughes (Royal Portrush);

(09.03) P O’Hanlon (Curragh) v P Sheehan (Ballybunion).