McGee keeps Irish Open hopes alive at Fitzwilliam

DUBLIN’S James McGee has kept alive hopes of a home success by clinching a semi-final place in the Green Property Irish Men’s Open.

The Davis Cup ace had not dropped a set in his two previous matches, and he maintained that satisfactory pattern as he sent France’s Simon Cauvard packing on a 6-3 6-4 scoreline at the Fitzwilliam Club yesterday.

But hopes of a double Irish presence at the penultimate stage were dashed when No 2 seed Miloslav Mecir, of Slovakia, recorded a 6-4 6-1 win over No 8 seed Colin O’Brien.