Defending champion Rory McNamara heads a strong field for this year's Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point.

The Headfort man will face stiff opposition from the likes of former winners Joe Lyons, Rory Leonard and Harry Diamond; Dermot McElroy, Robbie Cannon, Reeve Whitson, Niall Gorey and local man Gary McDermott — to name just a few — with a host of young guns waiting to strike.

The cut off fell at 0.0 again while there is also a bumper entry for the Qualifier, which guarantees six players a place in the first round draw on Good Friday with the promise of more in the event of the usual withdrawals.

"The entry is beyond our wildest dreams in terms of the Qualifier," said Enda Lonergan, general secretary of the Connacht Branch of the GUI. "We don't clash with the Leinster Youths this year, which led to some withdrawals last year, so we had 290 entries for the Qualifier.

"There is a spread of five shots in the field on handicap in the Championship with Lucan's Richie O'Donovan the low man in the field off plus 4.8, which is amazing. And then there is a three shot spread in the Qualifiers. 

"If we get between three and six withdrawals from the Championship draw, as we usually do, probably nine to 12 players will emerge from the qualifier."

West of Ireland Championship draw [PDF] and below

West of Ireland qualifier draw [PDF] and below

2014 West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship Co. Sligo Golf Club March April 18 - 22
(In Association with Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo)

TIMESHEET — Championship 36 Hole Strokeplay Qualifying on April 18 & 19, 2014.
(Cut fell at exactly 0.0)

Match Fri Apr 18 Sat Apr 19 Player/Club Player/Club Player/Club

1 07.00 11.02 Qualifier 1 Qualifier 2 Qualifier 3

2 07.11 11.13 Qualifier 4 Qualifier 5 Qualifier 6

3 07.22 11.24 *Declan Reidy (Co. Sligo) *Enda Cradock (Gort/NUIG) *Stephen Brady (Co. Sligo)

4 07.33 11.35 Eddie McCormack (Galway) Tony Cleary (Dromoland) Jonathan Yates (N aas/NUIM)

5 07.44 11.46 Sean Barry (Fota Island) Pat Murray (Limerick) Ronan Mullarney (Galway)

6 07.55 11.57 Sean Moloney (Dunmurry Springs) Kelan Quigg (City of Derry) Gareth Bohill (Co. Louth)

7 08.06 12.08 Noel Crawford (Mourne) Daniel Brennan (Shannon) Jason Rackard (Bunclody)

8 08.17 12.19 Timothy Jordan (Dungannon) Paul Coughlan (Moate) James McLoughlin (Portumna)

9 08.28 12.30 Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth) Aidan Kelly (Heritage) Greg Mungoven (Headfort)

10 08.39 12.41 Robbie Pierse (Grange) Mark Morrissey (Mount Wolsley) Ciaran McKenna (Mallow)

11 08.50 12.52 Richard O’Donovan (Lucan) Desmond Morgan (Mullingar) Michael Buggy (Castlecomer)

12 09.01 13.03 Rory McNamara (Headfort) Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) Damien McCusker (Moyola Park)

13 09.12 13.14 Gary Collins (Rosslare) J ack Hume (Naas) Shaun Carter (Stackstown)

14 09.23 13.25 Reeve Whitson (Mourne) Alan Thomas (Dungarvan) Theo Coffey (Slieve Russell)

15 09.34 13.36 Harry Diamond (Belvoir Park) Steffan O’Hara (Co. Sligo) Kieran McCarthy (Castlemartyr)

16 09.45 13.47 Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) Alex Gleeson (Castle)

17 09.56 13.58 Gary Hurley (West Waterford) Stephen Healy (Claremorris) Stephen McCarthy (Black Bush)

18 10.07 14.09 Gavin McKenna (Fortwilliam) Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene/UU) Shane McGlynn (Carton House)

19 10.18 14.20 Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) Kiernan Lovelock (Hindhead, UK) Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little)

20 10.29 14.31 Ruairi Kennelly (Portmarnock) Chris Drumm (Royal Dublin) Jonathan Gourley (Shandon Park)

21 10.40 14.42 Edward Ryan (Lucan) Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint) Paul Flynn (Tramore)

22 10.51 14.53 Cian Geraghty (L’town & B’town) Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin) Barry Daly (Edmondstown)

23 11.02 07.00 Eugene Smith (Ardee) Joe Lyons (Galway) David Barry (Castlemartyr)

24 11.13 07.11 Edward O’Keeffe (Corrstown) Ian Lynch (Rosslare) James McVicker (Knock)

25 11.24 07.22 Niall Foley (The island) Jake Whelan (Newlands) Chris Watt (Silverwood)

26 11.35 07.33 Ben Best (Rathmore) Pat Errity (Druids Glen) Eanna Griffin (Waterford)

27 11.46 07.44 William Russell (Clandeboye) Michael Sinclair (Knock) Conor O’Rourke (Naas)

28 11.57 07.55 Keith Crowley (Fota Island) Mark Shanahan (Castlemartyr) David Sutton (Lurgan)

29 12.08 08.06 Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) Thomas O’Connor (Athlone) Shane Hogan (Nenagh)

30 12.19 08.17 Ryan Gribben (Warrenpoint/UU) Geoff Hopkins (Royal Dublin) Daniel Holland (Castle)

31 12.30 08.28 Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) Darragh Coughlan (Portmarnock) Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint/UU)

32 12.41 08.39 Shane Moran (Carton House) Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock)

33 12.52 08.50 Shaun O’Connor (Luttrellstown) Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) Cameron Mills (Shandon Park)

34 13.03 09.01 Gerard Lawlor (Newbridge) Matthew McClean (Balmoral) Niall Gorey (Palmerstown Stud)

35 13.14 09.12 Simon Bryan (Delgany) John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) Kevin Stack (Dungarvan)

36 13.25 09.23 James Fox (Portmarnock) Matt Wylie (Quinta de Ria, Por) Chris Carroll (Shandon Park)

37 13.36 09.34 Barry Anderson (Royal Dublin) Matthew Kane (Whitehead) Richard Bridges (Stackstown)

38 13.47 09.45 Colin Fairweather (Knock) Daryl Callister (Mount Murray. IoM) Caolan Rafferty (Greenore)

39 13.58 09.56 Conor Doran (Banbridge) Tom Gandy (Rowmany, IoM) John Hickey (Cork)

40 14.09 10.07 Eoghan Murphy (Cork) Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo) Ian Kettyle (Rathmore)

41 14.20 10.18 Ian O’Flynn (Cork) Rory Leonard (Banbridge) Evan Farrell (Ardee)

42 14.31 10.29 Eoin O’Donovan (Craddockstown) Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin) Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock)

43 14.42 10.40 John O’Neill (Fota Island) John Greene (Portmarnock) William Hanna (Kilkeel)

44 14.53 10.51 Declan O’Neill (Carton House) Kelan McDonagh (Royal Dublin) Ronan O’Reilly (Headfort)

* Exemptions nominated by the Connacht Provincial Council in accordance with Tournament Condition

TIMESHEET — 18 Hole Strokeplay Qualifier on Wednesday April 16
93 Players (Cut fell at 2.9)

1 07.00 Adrian Wynne (Strandhill) Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) Paul McGuigan (Foyle)

2 07.11 Serryth Heavey (Co. Sligo) Conor Coyne (Youghal) Neil McGlynn (Carton House)

3 07.22 Andrew Montgomery (Old Conna) Andrew Dillon (Carrickfergus) Greg O’Mahony (Lee Valley)

4 07.33 Fergal Reilly (Co. Cavan) Daniel O’Connor (Athlone) David Scully (Galway)

5 07.44 Mark McCusker (Holywood) Simon Irwin (Holywood) Glenn Mowat (Enniskillen)

6 07.55 Colm Rayfus (Knightsbrook) Bryan MacSweeney (Royal Dublin) Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint)

7 08.06 Barry Fennelly (Royal Dublin) Anthony McDaid (Douglas) Luke Robinson (Bundoran)

8 08.17 Lee McMillan (Craddockstown) Martin Hynes (Athenry) Eoin Kelly (Co. Meath)

9 08.28 Jack Walsh (Castle) David Byrne (Athenry) Colin Wilton (Banbridge)

10 08.39 Blaine Lynch (Ballinrobe) Gary McGrane (Royal Dublin) Sean Walsh (Carton House)

11 08.50 David Reddan (Nenagh) Devon Morley (Oughterard) Mark Norton (Belvoir Park)

12 09.01 Patrick Neville (Bearna) Eoin Lisibach (Castlebar) Jonathan Breen (Knock)

13 09.12 Craig Melvin (Corrstown) Aaron Darcy (Ballinrobe) Andrew Harte (Carlow)

14 09.23 Conor McCaughey (Dungannon) Joseph Timlin (Dungannon) Keith Murphy (Charlesland)

15 09.34 David Kelleher (Portmarnock) Ken Irwin (Castlebar) Gavin Young (Birr)

16 09.45 Jack Healy (Westport) Shane Underwood (Co. Sligo) Max Thallon (Bangor)

17 09.56 Jonathan Doherty (Ballina) Joe Beirne (Athenry) Paul Bulfin (Carlow)

18 10.07 Shane O’Connor (Castlebar) Keith Daniels (Loughrea) Mark Rooney (Co. Sligo)

19 10.18 Damien Coyne (Tuam) Bob Loftus (Lahinch) Bernard Bermingham (Car. House)

20 10.29 Liam Hutchinson (Royal Dublin) Sean Ross (Kilkeel) Kiernan Lynch (Skibbereen)

21 10.40 Ian Spillane (Mallow) James Monaghan (Royal Dublin) Tom Fay (Rush)

22 10.51 Paddy Delaney (Arklow) Brian O’Reilly (Athenry) David Brady (Co. Sligo)

23 11.02 Kevin Sheehy (Athlone) Sean Alley (Co. Tipperary) Jack Pierse (Portmarnock)

24 11.13 Paul Burke (Mullingar) David McMahon (Tralee) Alec Moyles (Newlands)

25 11.24 Kenneth McLoughlin (Moate) Billy Fitzpatrick (Headfort) Alan Duffy (Royal T ara)

26 11.35 Conor McGurgan (Foyle) Alan Kiernan (Forrest Little) Mark O’Rourke (Royal Tara)

27 11.46 Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) Shane Bonner (Foyle) Gareth Moore (Lurgan)

28 11.57 Daniel Cosgrove (Knock) Ryan O’Doherty (Enniscrone) Eoghan McKeever (Castle)

29 12.08 Alan O’Connor (Castleknock) Maurice Murphy (Dundalk) Michael Gielty (Grange)

30 12.19 James Kelly (Elm Park) Michael Hennelly (Galway) Daniel Dolan (Tubbercurry)

31 12.30 Declan Kelly (Hermitage) Richard Williams (Naas) Karl McCormack (Portarlington)

Reserve Listing
1 Ryan Gordon Donaghadee
2 James O'Rourke Mullingar
3 Marc Judge Stackstown
4 Phillip Tanham Delgany
5 Des Timbs Strandhill
6 Morgan Lynch Tuam
7 Michael Lane Athenry
8 Scott Campbell Greenacres
9 Nigel Mann Limerick
10 Julien Basset FFGolf, Fra
11 Stephen McCabe Co. Cavan
12 Jamie Corbett Ballinasloe
13 Declan McConville Warrenpoint
14 Paul Cox Strandhill
15 Ruairi O'Connor Co. Sligo
16 Ciaron McCauley Slieve Russell
17 John Cleary Portumna
18 Joshua Logan Edenmore
19 Anton Brennan Athenry
20 Ciaran Smith Ballinamore
21 Mark Kerrigan Old Conna
22 Sam Sweeney Seapoint
23 David Hill Roscommon
24 Brian Timlin Galway
25 Conor Harte Castle
26 Marcus Doyle Castleknock
27 Donal O'Reilly Clones
28 Gus J Fitzpatrick Naas
29 John McQuaid Rossmore
30 Patrick Brennan Belvoir Park
31 Colman Cooney Gort
32 Colm Hughes Galway
33 TJ Ford Co. Sligo
34 Gerard O'Farrell Galway
35 Cian Feeney Co. Sligo
36 Eric Byrne Birr
37 Dermot Usher Newlands
38 Peter Fleming Galway
39 Martin Ruane Galway
40 Sean Denny Castleblaney
41 Gavin Tobin Headfort
42 Jason Conway Donegal
43 Darragh Conlon Athenry
44 Conor McGlynn Carton House
45 Andrew Hickey Ballyhaunis
46 Colin Kelly Enniscrone
47 Rob Kelly Co. Sligo
48 Rory O'Gorman Milltown
49 Kevin Flanagan Co. Sligo
50 Rory Timlin Galway
51 Colin Walsh Castlebar
52 Dominic Pollock Belvoir Park
53 Robert Jacob Enniscrone
54 Gerard Noone Claremorris
55 Shane Flanagan Co. Sligo
56 Paddy Culhane Galway
57 Sam Gillivan Westport