Golf: Deadly Duddingston men power into the quarters

It's not exactly been a sparkling season for Steve Gilhooley's side, but, thanks to an 8-0 home win over Liberton, they've got the job done as far making the knock-out phase is concerned.

Liberton have enjoyed a campaign that reflects the blossoming nature of the club itself but it was always going to be a tough ask for them to win at Duddingston.

It became even more difficult when they made that journey with an under-strength team, a contrast to Duddingston, who were able to send out an experienced side.

David Miller had to work hard for his one-hole win over John Hunter in the top match and, rising to the challenge, Mike Armstrong, Robbie Anderson, Gus Santana, Derrick Williams, Duncan Low, Gary Thomson and Mike Power also tasted success for the home side.

"We had a very strong and experienced team while Liberton were severely understrength," noted Gilhooley. "In fact, they were forced to play a few junior members in this important match and two of them are players to watch. Daniel Eardley and Ross Munro both showed real competitive spirit."

Duddingston's opponents in the last eight look like being Kingsknowe, who bounced back from a defeat at Broomieknowe in their penultimate match to bring the curtain down on their qualifying campaign with a win at the Merchants. In the first game, Lothians champion Allyn Dick, who was ahead most of the way round, was hit with a couple of sucker punches by Richard Craig around the treacherous par-3s and ended up losing on the 17th.

Steve McCulloch, producing what many observers believe to be the best golf of his career, raced into an early three hole lead against Mike Leitch before being gradually pegged back. But a brilliant chip at the last secured a vital victory for the visitors.

The newly-recalled Mike Robson, building on his win in the match at Broomieknowe, went ahead early on against Callum Spriddle and was never troubled in running out a comfortable 5 and 4 winner.

After being one up after 11, Andy Rowe suffered a run of losses that led to a 3 and 2 defeat at the hands of Derek Hall but thereafter the Kingsknowe tail really started to wag.

Gary Malone was comfortably ahead, got pegged back by David Gladwin, but a fantastic 3 at the seventeenth paved the way for another vital victory.

Marc Cairnie, on his debut, performed like a seasoned veteran, and was never seriously troubled in running out an emphatic winner against the experienced Andrew Boddie.

Alan Crabbe, that wily old campaigner, used all his experience to chart his way round the course to add another point at the expense of Adam George, with Charlie Kivlin earning a deserved half against Paul Francis in the anchor match thanks to a birdie-3 at the last.

"An excellent start laid the foundations for a great victory that has ensured qualification for the knock-out stages for the third year in a row," said Kingsknowe team manager Bill Buchan.

Silverknowes, who topped Duddingston's group, are still waiting to find out whether they'll be entertaining Kingsknowe, Bruntsfied Links or West Linton in the quarter-finals. That's after West Linton beat Bruntsfield 5-3 to keep their hopes alive, Simon Mackenzie, Nick Barr, Darren Coyle, Fraser Thain and Scott Walker delivering the decisive points for the home side in that one.

Alan Anderson, Kevin Cattnach and David Simpson won for Bruntsfield, who are away to Craigmillar Park in their final game and, on paper at least, have a team that should certainly be making the last eight.

Glencorse, the Group 1 winners, and Royal Burgess, who finished Group 4 with a 100 per cent record, are also waiting to find out their last-eight opponents.

It's looking like Musselburgh will be making the trip to Glencorse, while Royal Burgess, the defending champions, are going to be up against either Newbattle or Dalmahoy.

Newbattle stayed in the hunt with a 7-1 home win over Mortonhall, with Stuart Thorburn, Lee Morgan, Stuart Simpson, Scott Stables, Derek Dickson, Craig Stables and Gary Rodger doing the business for the Eskbank club. Martin Hopley spared Mortonhall a whitewash as he maintained his recent good form with a 3 and 2 success over John Hunter.

After a slow start, Baberton are finishing their campaign with a flourish, beating Lothianburn 7…-5… in their latest match. Andy Laurence, Paul Ferrier, Ron Bradly, Scott Carmichael, Mark Riddell, John Nisbet and Stephen Marshall all won for the Juniper Green men, with Dougie Waugh being forced to settle for a half by Gareth Jack.

"Daniel Eardley and Ross Munro both showed real competitive spirit"

STEVE GILHOOLEY