Mark O'Sullivan, just 16, narrowly failed to wrest the First Trust Ulster Boys' Championship title from local member Gary Wardlow (17) at Shandon Park yesterday. One hole was the official verdict, but it was a superb tussle with both players showing tremendous form and powers of recovery.

But on a few occasions, O'Sullivan's short game let him down - possibly the difference in the Galway six-footer winning and losing. He three-putted the second, hit back immediately with a birdie at the next, and went one up with a par at the fifth.

He then missed the green at the sixth, where Wardlow levelled, and the local two-handicapper then wedged to 10 feet for a birdie at the seventh to grab a lead he never relinquished.

"When my birdie putt lipped out at the 17th that was the turning point," reflected red-haired O'Sullivan. "Still, it was nice to get to the final and, hopefully, I'll go one better in the Connacht Boys' next week at Ballinasloe."