Connor Doran reaches the semi-final of the North

The championship starts off with two qualifying rounds. The best 64 go into the matchplay draw.

Connor Doran shot 70 and 72 and he finished near the top of the leader board.

Rory Leonard qualified comfortably with rounds of 73 and 71.

Jonathan Ward was delighted to make the cut after shooting 71 and 75.

Alastair McCully unfortunately missed out after rounds of 80 and 76.

Three qualifiers out of four was brilliant.

Jonathan Ward lost in round one to Aaron Kennedy (Castlerock) 2 and 1. Johnny enjoyed the experience and he will be determined to go further next time.

Rory Leonard, hoping to cement his claim for a place on the Irish team, beat Colm McIlroy (Holywood) 4 and 3 in round one. He then lost by 3 and 2 against Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin).

It was left to Connor Doran to fly the flag for Banbridge and, as Brucie says, didn’t he do well!

He beat Daniel Holland (Castle) in round one and then beat Ian Ross (Whitehead) by 3 and 2 in round two.

The next day, Connor beat David Sutton (Lurgan) 3 and 2. Then, in the afternoon’s quarter final, he beat Aaron Kennedy (Castlerock) one up.

Friday morning, at 8.30 am, Connor set off for his semi-final battle against young Dermot McElroy from Ballymena. The conditions were extremely difficult but Connor would be the first to admit that he did not play up to his usual standard.

He had been brilliant all week and everyone thought that he would go on to win the championship.

But it was not to be. Golf is a very fickle game and it is a mystery how you can play so well one day and find the game so difficult the next.

Connor lost the semi-final by 2 and 1 and, naturally enough, he was bitterly disappointed. He gave it his best shot and it was not enough.

That’s the game of golf.

The four Banbridge players who competed at Portrush did the club proud.