Bill Thompson showed the young guns the way home when the Hilary Golfing Society completed its winter programme at Portmarnock Links last week. The veteran Sutton player notched up his third Johnson Matthey Gold Medal as the leading player over the five outings.

Thompson's three best scores gave him a total of five under par, four ahead of Mark Collins in second place. Co Louth's Paddy McGuirk won the professional overall gross with five over par. McGuirk finished two ahead of Leonard Owens (Royal Dublin) with Bobby Browne (Laytown and Bettystown) a further two shots back in third place.

The final outing of the season was won by Enda Connolly of Portmarnock. In a three-way tie on 73, Connolly won from Philip Ring (Sutton) and Owens.