Local teams cruise through to Jimmy Bruen match-play

Going out last, Lisburn knew what score was required to qualify and finished in second place, only three strokes behind Dungannon.

Brian Houston holed a monster putt on the final green for a birdie three to register 81 with playing partner Richard McDermott.

After a triple bogey at 16, Mark Jamison and Joshua Hamilton recovered to complete another round of 81.

After going out in four over par, Chris Budd and Kyle Patton came back in two over for a round of 77 which was the best score of the day.

One more decent score and Lisburn could have led the field. Unfortunately, the other two pairs, David Armstrong & David McCallister and Randal Kernaghan & Andrew Parr, were finding too much trouble. The former’s score of 87 left Lisburn in second place on 326.

In the section semi-final, Lisburn play Malone at Balmoral.

Captained by Jim Hanna, Lambeg made it through for the first time in their history.

Hosts Balmoral and Lambeg finished on 330 points in joint fourth but it was Lambeg who won on the count-back and go through to meet Dungannon in two weeks time in the next round.

Ivor Harron & Tony Hamilton led the way, shooting 80 while both Raymond Rodgers & Robert McCullough and Tom Coulter & Craig Griffen went round in 82.

Stephen Johnston & Andrew Burrell shot 86 while Michael Pollins with Ian Jefferson had 92.

The Rockmount team played at Shandon Park.

Francis Ward and Paul Mearns were out first and came home with the best score (80) of the five pairs.

Michael Carson and Al McCune out second scored 84. Henry Moore and Colin Childs chipped in with a very creditable 82. Robert Patterson and Tom Rossi scored 86 and Peter O’Hara and Frank Wallace scored 88. A total of 332 for the best four cards was one worse than the host club Shandon.

Rockmount will play Castlereagh Hills in their section semi.

Lisburn results

McKee and Craig Cup qualifying

A birdie three at the difficult seventh hole helped Finn McCrory reach the turn in 37 for a half-way score of 21 points in the McKee Cup.

Sixes at 12 and 17 marred an otherwise good back nine but his 18 points left him top qualifier, edging out John Greer on countback after both finished on 39 points.

Jonny Grant was one under par after four holes but proceeded to drop five strokes in the next four to reach the turn in 40. Eight pars and a birdie four at 14 gave him a back nine of 35 for a total of 38 points. He was joined on the same score by Mark Coburn and John Poole but clinched third place on count-back.

In the Craig Cup, Terry Smith (18) was top qualifier with 42 pts. He finished one ahead of Adam McClelland (24) with Philip Morton third on 40. Ivor Walker (17), Norman Lambe (18) and George Heatherington (21) scored 39.

May Day Open Stableford

1st Mark Reilly (10) 40 pts, 2nd Joshua Robinson (10) 38 pts. 3rd Robert Gaw  (14) 38 pts.

Wednesday Stableford

1st Brian Houston 39pts, 2nd Philip Stewart 36pts, 3rd Robert McNeice 36pts.