County Sligo’s David Brady birdied the sixth tie hole to beat Castleknock's Paul Coughlan and set up a clash with Carton House’s Keith Egan in this afternoon’s final of the West of Ireland Championship.

With Rosses Point bathed in glorious sunshine, Egan beat Clandeboye’s Ross Latimer 3&2 in the second semi-final as Brady and Coughlan delivered a thrilling duel that went to the 24th.

Pre-qualifier Brady (27), who was born and bred in Rosses Point but now works in Dublin and plays out of Straffan, was cruising at three-up with five holes to play,

But he made four fives in a row, making bogeys at the 14th and 15th, a double bogey at the 16th, and another bogey at the 17th to head down the 18th one down.

He’d birdied the closing hole in the last 16 and in the quarter-finals and he did it again in the semis as he hit a stellar wedge stone dead and was conceded a birdie three,

They both parred the 19th and after Brady missed a 10-footer for a win at the 20th, Coughlan lipped out from seven feet for victory at the 21st.

Both men parred the 22nd (4th) and the 23rd (18th) before leaving themselves around 15 feet for birdies on their second trip down the first or 24th.

Coughlan missed his chance but Brady made no mistake, rolling in his putt to a huge roar from the Co Sligo gallery.

The final was pushed back from 1:15 pm to 2 pm with Brady looking to become the first home winner since Barry Anderson in 2017.

On that occasion, Anderson beat Brady on the 18th in the quarter-finals en route to victory.

West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, sponsored by Connolly Motor Group, Co Sligo GC

Semi-finals

D Brady (Straffan) beat P Coughlan (Castleknock) 24th

K Egan (Carton House) beat R Latimer (Clandeboye) 3&2.

Final (2,0) D Brady v K Egan.