Taylor's gem of a win at Galgorm Castle

Colin Kinghan (3) and Amarath Dan (18) tried hard to catch the two front runners before succumbing after 12.Taylor and O'Kane went on to draw clear and at the finish were five points ahead of the field. There was seldom a point difference between them over the back nine and after 17 they were level.

Both parred the last to finish together but with a but with a better back nine Taylor was the outright winner with O'Kane as runner-up.

In Division 1 at the turn Bertie Warwick (8) and Colin Kinghan (3) were one point ahead of Tony Carroll (10). Through 12 Kinghan had moved into a two point lead over Warwick with Carroll another point behind. His lead had increased to four points after 14 over the chasing duo. Kinghan's lead was reduced to two points over Warwick with Carroll another two points away.

However this was all to change over the closing two holes. Kinghan finished with two bogeys and was joined by Warwick (bogey, par) and Carroll with a very late run of par, birdie joined the other pair and with a better back nine Carroll took first place with Warwick (better back six) in second and Kinghan (better back nine) third.

At halfway in Division 2 Alan Knox (17) was leading by one point from Stefan Kerr (13) with Patrick McDonald (13) another point behind.

Through fifteen Knox was still ahead by one point from Kerr and McDonald. Knox came home bogey, bogey, par and was joined by Kerr (bogey, par, birdie) on the line and with a better back nine Kerr squeezed in to win. McDonald finished par, par, bogey for third place.

Division 3 saw Amarnath Dan (18) race into a six point lead after the outward nine from Jack Douglas (18) with George Irwin (28) another point behind. Through Beechers his lead had been reduced to three

points by Douglas with Irwin another point away.

He maintained his three point advantage through seventeen but then hit trouble when he 'dinged' the last to leave the door ajar for the other pair.

Irwin (double bogey, bogey) and Douglas (bogey, bogey) finished together one point behind to give Dan a well deserved win.

David Kernohan (+3) 39 gr pts won the gross prize, while Samuel Millar (16) 38 pts won the seniors' section.

ULSTER FOURBALL

Galgorm Castle entertained Foyle in the first leg and after an entertaining match Galgorm Castle lost 3/2.

In the opening match Bernie Frayne and Ralph Clarke were narrowly beaten 2/1.

Alan Knox and Jonathan McCart were one up at halfway and still held that advantage but faded to lose by one hole.

Raymond McDyer and Robin Deane were three down after five. They steadied after this but were still three down at halfway, finally losing 5/4.

Garth Wilson and Brian Heggarty levelled the score at 2-2 when they won their match.

In the final match Chris Warwick and Glen Millar were slow to start and found themselves three down after five. They pulled one back before the turn but could not improve and were still two down through 14 before losing 2/1.

Galgorm will hope to reverse the result in the second leg.

JIMMY BRUEN SHIELD

Galgorm Castle travelled to Gracehill for this Second Round encounter against Royal Portrush and after some entertaining matches came away with a magnificent 4/1 victory.

In the opening match Peter Daly and Tony Carroll were five up after 10 but lost three holes in a row before eventually fighting back to win 2/1.

Keith Barkley and Darren McLaughlin recorded a second win for Galgorm one up after a hard-fought game.

Rod Lennox and James Taylor were unable to recover from a deficit of three down after 13, eventually losing 4/3.

A dream start of being four up after six helped Mel Bellew and Campbell McAnally to a 3/2 win and Galgorm added a fourth win when Mark Dunlop and Brendan Killough triumphed 4/2.

Congratulations on winning and this victory sees them into the last 8 in the Ulster Section and play the winners of Co Cavan or Warrenpoint.

BELFAST & DISTRICT CUP

Galgorm Castle progressed to the next round of the Belfast and District Cup after an extremely tight and entertaining match against Kirkistown.

Galgorm led 4-3 after the home leg after wins from Dave Kernohan, Ben Churchill, Liam Reill Jnr and Paul Houston.

In the away leg, Dave Kernohan put Galgorm further ahead when he won 1 up in a very close encounter. Michael Reid, in his first match in this cup, lost 2 down but Liam Reilly Jnr was a convincing 5&4 winner.

Kirkiston fought back to win the next three matches to lead 7-6.

Johnny Rodgers lost after losing a ball up 17 to go one down. Paul Houston lost his match 5&4 and Jamie Sutherland lost 2 down.

Steven Penney had to win the last match to force the match into tie holes. Penney came up trumps when he won 4&2.

In the tie hole Dave Kernohan played two lovely shots down the par 5 first before playing to within six feet with his wedge.

He eventually holed the putt for a birdie to win the hole and send Galgorm through to the next round against Donaghdee.