GOLF: Late birdie blast earns Bernard Quigley share of the Mullingar spoils with Damien McGrane

One of the early starters on a blustery but dry day in Co Westmeath, McGrane went to the turn in four under par 31 with birdies at the first, third, eighth and ninth.

His momentum was halted by a dropped shot at the par four 11 th and the 45-year- old then mixed in three birdies with two more bogeys over his closing seven holes to finish on four under par.

Quigley has played sporadically on the PGA in Ireland circuit in 2016 and starting his round at the 10 th in the afternoon wave he made little impact over his opening nine holes, recording two bogeys and a single birdie to turn for home on one over par 38.

However, something clicked for the 31-year after the turn and he roared home collecting birdies at the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth to come back in five under par 30 to join McGrane on the four under mark.

Simon Thornton carded a three under par 69 to finish alone in third on three under par with Glen Robinson a shot further back in fourth.

McGrane and his amateur partners of Kevin Cummins, Tom Muldoon and Catherine Cummins cruised to victory in the team event with 101 points.