Colm Campbell remains on course to defend his title in the Pierse Motors VW-sponsored South of Ireland Championship but Lahinch is also hopeful of getting its first home winner since 1968.
Campbell beat County Sligo’s Seán McLoughlin 4 and 3 and meets Galgorm Castle’s Joshua Hill, a 19th hole winner over Hermitage’s Aaron Naughton, for a place in the semi-finals.
The winner will play Millicent’s Brian Doran or the experienced Carton House player Darragh Flynn, but Lahinch’s interest will be focused on the top half of the draw.
Home hero Stephen Loftus (42) beat Douglas’ James Walsh at the 19th and now faces the 2012 champion, 53-year-old Pat Murray for a place in the last four.
Murray was four down after nine holes to Co Sligo’s Aodhagan Brady and two down with four holes to go before he won the 15th in par and the 17th and 18th with birdies to go through.
A Tipperary native but now playing out of Tramore, where he is the General Manager, Murray could become the oldest semi-finalist since Barry Rreddan made the last four at the age of 56 in 2002.
The winner will face the victor of the match between Slieve Russell’s Shane McDermott and 21-year-old Stephen Adler from Chicago, who is an overseas member of Lahinch.
Adler beat Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins 1 up to make the quarter-finals as McDermott edged out Carton House’s Paul O’Hanlon by the same margin.
Flynn beat 16-year-old Rory Gallagher from Galway Bay 4 and 2 as Doran edged out 16-year-old left-hander Finlay Eager at the first tie hole as six of the eight last-16 matches went at least 18 holes.
South of Ireland Amateur Open, sponsored by Pierse Motors VW, Lahinch GC
Quarter-finals – Saturday, 27 July
Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) v Pat Murray (Tramore)
Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell) v Paul Adler (North Shore, USA)
Brian Doran (Millicent) v Darragh Flynn (Carton House)
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) v Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle)
Round three
Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) beat James Walsh (Douglas) 19th;
Pat Murray (Tramore) bt Aodhagan Brady (Co Sligo) 1 up;
Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell) beat Paul O’Hanlon (Carton House) 1 up;
Paul Adler (North Shore, USA) beat Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) 1 up;
Brian Doran (Millicent) beat Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast) 19th;
Darragh Flynn (Carton House) beat Rory Gallagher (Galway Bay) 4/2;
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) beat Seán McLoughlin (Co Sligo) 4/3;
Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) beat Aaron Naughton (Hermitage) 19th.
