The thrill of beating Garth McGimpsey in yesterday morning's third round of the Carlsberg North of Ireland Championship at Royal Portrush almost cost Gavin Lunny a place in this morning's semi-finals.

The Rathsallagh 21-year-old did reach the last four with a tie-hole win over dark horse Edward Johnston but it took him eight holes to warm to the task on hand in the quarter-finals.

At that stage he was two down but then switched on to the task on hand. "I was so elated at beating Garth that I found it difficult to concentrate in the quarterfinals for the first eight holes. Garth McGimpsey is a golfer I always admired and hoped that one day I would be as good as him. I had to play 20 holes before beating him and that also made me a little tired but I was mentally drained."

It was such an experience that I found difficulty in getting into the game in the afternoon," enthused Lunny who hands a lot of the praise for his good form to coach Brendan McDaid.

In the tussle with Johnston, Lunny won the ninth and 10th holes in pars to level the match - "a let off," he described it - and had to level again with a birdie three from 20 feet at the 16th.

Johnston played a beautiful chip stone dead on the 18th green before Lunny's solid birdie putt from 18 feet hit the back of the hole and stayed out. At the 19th he found rough off the tee but played a great six iron to 20 feet and lowered the putt for birdie which Johnston couldn't match after being in sand.

This morning, Lunny will face Andrew Morris from Belvoir Park. Tyrone-born Morris beat Cliaran McMonagle in the quarter-finals.

Defending champion Paddy Gribben has eased through to the last four in a quiet way with wins yesterday over David Alderdice and Ian Froggatt who put out Eamon Brady on Tuesday. Gribben was three-under-par when he beat Froggatt on the 16th green.