Joe proves hard to catch as he lifts the Victory Cup at Lurgan

The winner was Joe McGlone with 41 points off 21, despite an NR at 16. Joe claimed some notable successes last year and will be delighted to have come out of the traps so quickly this season.

Gary McNally, 4, finished second last Sunday and he closed the week in similar fashion when his 40 points gave him the runners-up spot. Birdies at 1, 10 and 18 helped him to a very creditable level par round.

Young Ryan Harbinson, 12, has begun the season in very eye-catching style and he took third prize to add to his rapidly growing collection. His birdie at 3 gave him an early boost from which he never looked back.

The third and last player on 40 points was Gavin Little, 7, and he took fourth prize, birdies at 12 and 15 almost, but not quite, propelling him to the top spot.

David Sutton took the gross after a round of one over par gave him 35 gross points. His impressive round contained 4 birdies and 5 bogeys.

Ciaran Seeley recorded the day’s only eagle when he holed out for a two at the 10th and he coupled that with birdies at 1 and 4 to take the low section with 39 points off 4. Just behind on 38 points came Gary McKee, 10, Olcan Kearney, 4, Steven Mulvenna, 8, and Mark Headley, 7.

The middle section went to Peter Simpson with 38 points off 18. Peter brought a very steady front 9 to a close with a disappointing NR, but a birdie at 13 got him back on track. Robin Whyte, 18, also had 38 points but his 19 homeward points were one behind Peter’s.

Michael McHugh found his way into the prizes for the second time in a row when 36 points, off 26, gave him the high section. Also on 36 points but leaving empty handed were Peter McCorry, 20, Ronnie Bruce, 27, and Brian McCabrey, 21.

There was a clear winner of the Wednesday Sweep when Martin King left the field behind by four points as he took victory with 42 points off 19.

An NR at 4 might have suggested that the wheels had come off after an opening trio of nett birdies, but he quickly recovered and followed a nett eagle at 6 with a further six nett birdies to claim his second victory of the year.

After taking third prize last Wednesday and first place on Sunday, Colm Nash completed the podium set in a week by taking second place with 38 points off 13, his 20 homeward points proving decisive.

The very consistent and big-hitting Marcel Shanks took third place with 38 points off 6. He threatened to throw it all away at the 13th when after checking with the fourball in front that the 13th was a temporary green, he attempted to draw a drive around the corner to set up a birdie chance. Unfortunately for him what had been intended as a long, slow draw came out as a short, fast hook, a disaster only being avoided by a thumping crash against the fence which was no doubt heard near his Lough shore home. A grateful Marcel happily pocketed his par and marched on.

Fourth place went to Michael McHugh with 38 points off 26, with Jim Stevenson, 14, and Garfield Harrison, 7, on 37 points each to take fifth and sixth places respectively.

Conal Patterson has long been heralded as a tip for the top and he once again justified that optimism by taking the gross prize with 33 gross points.