There was something of a Northern invasion when the Irish finals of the Lombard Trophy were contested at Seapoint in Drogheda.
Irish winners Kieran McLaughlin and Bosco Proctor from Foyle will join 13 pairs from around Britain in the 36-hole grand final at San Lorenzo, Portugal, at the end of September.
They made a great start at Seapoint with professional McLaughlin birdieing the first and 15-handicapper Proctor grabbing four net birdies on the outward nine. It was steady rather than spectacular on the homeward run before McLaughlin birdied the 16th and 18th for a better ball score of 64 and a two-shot margin over Stephen Hamill and Frank Brammeld (Antrim) and Vivian Teague and Joe Craig (Moyola Park). Former Irish professional champion Martin Sludds and Eamon Whitty (Enniscorthy) tied for fourth along with David Walker and Philip Osbourne (Foxrock), John Dignam and Ken Maguire (Slade Valley) and Don McFarlane and Harry Parker (East Cork).
Proctor can look forward to the expenses paid trip to San Lorenzo where McLaughlin will also be playing for a share of the £25,000 prize fund.
