Irish Close Update: Paul O'Hanlon made a remarkable comeback to land the Irish Amateur Close Championship after extra holes were needed to see-off a determined Dara Lernihan in today's final at Belvoir Park.

The deciding match was like the overused football cliché 'a game of two halves' as the pendulum swung either way over the two nines. In the end neither player could be separated by the 18th and sudden death was required.

At the first extra hole both made very different pars with Lernihan finding sand and his opponent over-shooting the green.

Lernihan's fate was sealed at the second extra hole when he found trees off the tee. The Castle golfer was forced to play out sideways before landing his third to 15 feet from 100yards out.

O'Hanlon, meanwhile, hit a fine drive and an even better approach to within eight feet. When his opponent missed for par, the Curragh golfer had an easy two putt to land the Blue Riband of the Irish amateur calendar.

The early stages of the final had been a nip and tuck affair as both players traded birdies over the opening holes. However, it was Lernihan who would make the first significant move as a birdie three at the seventh was good enough to go 2 up.

Lernihan increased his advantage with another birdie at the ninth - his third of the  nine - to be three up at the turn.

If the back nine was supposed to be plain-sailing home with Lernihan holding such a healthy lead then O'Hanlon most certainly had other ideas.

He first reduced the deficit with a birdie two at the short 11th and after winning the 13th with par he only trailed his opponent by one hole.

However, Lernihan wasn't going to let his lead slip that easily and quickly doubled his advantage to two holes after a birdie at the par three 14th. He would remain two up until standing on the 17th tee.

If O'Hanlon was to have any chance, now was the time to make his move. And sure enough, when the question was asked, he holed a 25 foot birdie to ensure the final went the distance.

The 18th was a collection of errors for Lernihan as the pressure mounted. He found the bunker off the tee, played out, before finding another greenside bunker with his approach.

O'Hanlon had played his second into 15 feet while Lernihan splashed out to four feet. O'Hanlon missed his birdie effort but two putts was sufficient as Lernihan missed to force extra holes.

The winner booked his place in the final with another excellent comeback win (2 holes) over Scrabo's Andrew McCormick in this morning's semi-final. He had been four down after eight holes but came back to win by two holes.

Lernihan had an easier passage with his 4 and 2 win over Cian Curley from Newlands. Lernihan never looked back after winning the opening three holes.

Irish Close Details

Final:

Paul O'Hanlon (Curragh) bt Dara Lernihan (Castle) 20th

Semi-finals:

Paul O'Hanlon (Curragh) bt Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) 2 holes
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Cian Curley (Newlands) 4/2