GOLF SOUTH OF IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP:THE ADAGE has more than a semblance of truth, it would seem. "Beware the sick golfer," quipped Robert Cannon, a 30-year-old Dubliner, who'd felt so ill on Monday evening he considered pulling out of the South of Ireland Amateur Championship, even though he was in the midst of his best campaign in a domestic major.

Yesterday, over the Old Course at Lahinch, Cannon found the perfect remedy to his ills as he negotiated a route into today’s semi-finals, where he will come up against the experienced Eamon Haugh, competing in his 18th South.

The second semi-final, between Irish Close champion Pat Murray of Limerick and Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty, will be a particularly friendly rivalry: O’Flaherty was Murray’s best man.

On a day when a brisk wind off the Atlantic made for another challenging examination, the four survivors, who have battled inclement weather since setting out in their quests for the oldest provincial championship last Sunday, showed no signs of mental or physical tiredness. Everyone stuck magnificently to their tasks, to set up intriguing showdowns. The only guarantee is that a new name will be engraved onto the famous silver trophy.

Cannon had suffered badly from a head cold since arrival and contemplated pulling out of the championship on Monday, so miserable did he feel. A helping hand, however, wasn’t far away; Dr Áine Ní Riain, wife of Lahinch club captain Austin Slattery, provided the medication to enable him remain in the championship.

He made the most of his continued involvement, beating Michael Brett on the 14th in the fifth round in the morning and then defeating Gavin O’Connor by 2 and 1 in the quarter-final.

“This has been a long time coming,” remarked Cannon, who was plagued by a hip injury last season until John Kelly – the club professional at St Margaret’s – suggested a series of exercises to rectify the problem. He hasn’t looked back.

“I’ve been knocking on the door for a long time, and I felt quietly confident coming in here this week. I love this golf course,” said Cannon, a former Leinster interprovincial, who will face Haugh in the first semi-final.

Haugh, a 43-year-old flooring distributor, proved his mettle with a fifth round win over Des Morgan, and then a tough, one-hole win over David Finn in the quarter-final.

Haugh, who had moved into the lead over Finn with a birdie on the par five 12th, was forced to work hard on the way home, particularly on the 16th. There, his rescue club tee-shot flew the green and finished on the footpath by the 17th tee. Haugh conjured up a superb up-and-down for par, which allowed him to retain the advantage.

Unquestionably, the mantle of favourite has fallen onto the broad shoulders of Murray. The Irish Close champion – who admitted to being “bitterly disappointed” not to earn a place on the Ireland team for last month’s European Team Championship – has let his clubs do the talking since arriving here. Yesterday he beat Seán Barry by 2 and 1 in the quarter-final to set up an encounter with O’Flaherty.

“To win the South would be huge for me, as big as winning the Close,” admitted Murray, who celebrated his 38th birthday last Friday and who has been competing in the championship for the guts of two decades.

His match with Barry was a curious one. Murray won the first three holes, but was back to all-square before winning the ninth to go one-up at the turn. By the time Murray and Barry stood on the 16th tee, a difficult par three, with the wind on their backs, they were level again. However, Murray hit a six-iron to the green and a two-putt par gave him a one-hole lead, and he closed out the match on the 17th when he sank a 20-footer for a winning par.

Murray knows he will have his hands full against O’Flaherty, a plus-one handicapper who is a sales manager for Wilson Golf. O’Flaherty, progressing to the semi-final stage of a championship for the first time, was a 3 and 2 winner over Galway’s Joe Lyons.

Two years ago, Murray defeated O’Flaherty in the quarter-finals here. But O’Flaherty has been impressive all week, keeping his concentration in difficult conditions and staying out of trouble off the tee. His task for the semi-final is to put friendship aside.

“I can’t think of it as going out to beat the Irish champion,” said O’Flaherty. “I want to go out and win . . . to get into the zone.”

LAHINCH DETAILS

FIFTH ROUND

R Cannon (Laytown/Bettystown) bt M Brett (Portmarnock) 5 and 4, G O'Connor (Malahide) bt D Holland (Castle/UCD) 5 and 4, E Haugh (Castletroy) bt D Morgan (Mullingar) 3 and 1, D Finn (Mallow) bt E Stack (Ballybunion) 1 up, J Lyons (Galway) bt K Crowley (Lee Valley) 6 and 5, G O'Flaherty (Cork) bt S Walsh (Killeen) 1 up, S Barry (Lee Valley) bt B Walton (The Island) 19th, P Murray (Limerick) bt J Fox (Portmarnock) 1 up.

QUARTER-FINALS

Cannon bt O'Connor 2 and 1, Haugh bt Finn 1 up, O'Flaherty bt Lyons 3 and 1, Murray bt Barry 2 and 1.

TODAY

SEMI-FINALS

8:30: Cannon v Haugh

8:45: O'Flaherty v Murray

FINAL:2pm