Irish Close Championship: The best was definitely saved for last in the Irish Amateur Close championship in sunny Tramore yesterday.

On a day when favourite Noel Fox and defending champion John McGinn both lost in the first round, the clash of Ballyclare's Gareth Maybin and Portmarnock's David Kelleher stood out.

It was the last match of the day and the sun was setting over the Newtown Hill course by the time Maybin moved into the last 16 with a one-hole win that will be remembered for several reasons.

One down with four to play, Kelleher kept the match alive by holing putts of six, 10 and 15 feet for halves at the 15th, 16th and 17th.

But it was Kelleher's honesty at the fourth hole - where he called a penalty shot on himself after his ball had moved at address - that captured the spirit of the match.

At the par-five 18th, Kelleher could not match Maybin's perfect drive. He pulled his tee shot into the trees on the left but he conjured a wonderful 200-yard recovery to the front of the green and two-putted for a birdie.

Maybin had hit the green in two, sent his eagle putt three feet past and was then forced to hole the return for a memorable one-hole win that was as hard fought as you could get.

"Fair play to David," he conceded. "He holed some great putts but he also called that shot on himself which was something a lot of people might not do."

Kelleher had to go to the 22nd to beat Birr's Michael Horan in the morning round, but admitted that his afternoon defeat almost gave him more satisfaction.

"Your Dad doesn't teach you to play golf and then cheat," he joked afterwards. "In fairness to Gareth, I had to hole a lot of putts just to stay alive but losing the match was more enjoyable than having to go to the 22nd to win my first round match."

Fox's defeat by 2 and 1 to Richard Kilpatrick of Banbridge was due mainly to his waywardness off the tee. "It just didn't click for me," he said. "Richard played nicely and I couldn't get it going."