The margin was three matches to one, with the other battle called in from the second tie-hole and termed a half. This is Sligo's third win in the competition, but the margin of victory yesterday doesn't hide the struggles that went on around the course.

Non-playing Co Sligo captain Tom Forde said, "It was always going to be a tight final, but our boys played great golf."

Lanky lad Gary McDermott drew first blood for the winners as he handed out a 6&4 beating to Alistair McCully in the fourth match.

It was then interpro David Dunne who clinched the honours with a one-hole win over Jim Carvill.

McDermott got off to a super start with birdies at the third and fourth holes to leap two up. He won six and lost seven but birdied eight to turn three up as the best golf was played over the outward run.

At the long 11th, the Sligoman lost a ball but still got a half . . . a lucky break . . . as McCully was also in deep trouble. Then pars were good enough for McDermott to win the 12th, 13th and 14th holes for his big 6&4 win, as McCall's troubles continued.

Meanwhile, in the top match Martin McTernan beat Rory Leonard 2&1.

McTernan turned three up and won the 11th with birdie four before Leonard roared back into the hunt.

The big Banbridge former international won the 12th hole with birdie three after his opponent drove under threes and he also won the 13th and 15th in regulation figures to close the gap to just one hole as McTernan missed the green both times.

The turning point really came at 16 where Leonard missed his par from five feet to drop back to two down. He then drove into trees off the 17th and when McTernan rolled his first putt to one inch for a certain half the game was up for Leonard.

Richard Kilpatrick kept Banbridge hopes alive with a 3&1 victory against Seryth Heavey after storming into a three-hole lead after five, but being hauled back to level by the turn. He then birdied 12, 13 and 17 from four, 12 and eight feet for victory.

Connor Doran had the chance to level the argument when one up playing the 17th hole, after Keith O'Neill had lost a ball at 16, to drop one behind, but Doran missed his par putt for a half from eight feet. That battle went down 19, which was halved, and the players were then on the 20th when David Dunne beat Jim Carvill by one hole.

There was never more than one hole in this argument and after Dunne went one up at the par four 15th he held on for halves at the last three holes as Carvill just couldn't manage a last-stand birdie.

"Jim made it very difficult for me . . . he's a class player and I'm delighted to have finished with three pars and win the cup for Co Sligo. This is my third All-Ireland Senior Cup medal and I have four Barton Shield trophies.

The young lads won the Fred Daly Trophy this year so maybe it is time for an old fellow like me to retire, " quipped Dunne.

It's double celebrations at Centenary Year club Muskerry as they won the Jimmy Bruen Shield yesterday to add to their Junior Cup success of last week. In a tense decider, Muskerry defeated Scrabo at the second tie-hole of the deciding battle for a 3-2 victory.