The notion that supremacy perceived is supremacy achieved, rang rather hollow in the mist and rain of Castlerock yesterday. With a remarkably-controlled performance, Des Smyth resisted a final-round challenge from favourite Paul McGinley to capture top prize of £16,600 in the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship.

Smyth's winning margin of three strokes was the product of a closing round of 68 for an 19-under-par aggregate of 273. More significantly, on a links with five vulnerable par fives, he negotiated them in 13 under par over the four days, whereas his longer hitting opponent was 10 under.

It was his sixth triumph in this particular event, which he has now won in four decades. And at 48, he overcame a rival whose current Ryder Cup status and 41st place ranking in the world, made him a clear, pre-tournament choice to repeat his triumph of last year.

Smyth seemed to think so. And he denied any suggestions of mischief in building up McGinley, perhaps in the hope of a fall. "I knew Paul was the man to beat, but deep down I felt I had a chance if I played as well as I know I can," he said afterwards. "In fact I'm really thrilled with what I've done." He went on: "Given that I was even par on the first day, I actually shot 19 under par for the last three rounds. And the really pleasing thing is that I finished strongly, with birdies on the last two holes."

A wonderful year for the Drogheda player had its roots in a milestone victory in the Madeira Island Open last March, when he became the oldest winner in the history of the European Tour. He was 18 under par on that occasion and the momentum was maintained in a 13th place finish in the British Open at Royal Lytham in July, leaving him exempt for next year.

"I wasn't fooled by all the pre-tournament talk," said McGinley afterwards. "From our experiences together on tour, I know what he's capable of and that I would have to shoot a really low number to win. The way things turned out, Des simply played better than me today."

It was also a notable occasion for Michael Allan, a 29-year-old attached to Leopardstown Golf Centre. With a closing 71 which contained four birdies, he completed an aggregaqte of 279 to claim third place on his own for £7,100. So he had reason to be "absolutely delighted" with his highest finish in this event, especially after capturing the national club professional title earlier in the year, at Nuremore.

In contrast, the par fives seriously hurt some notable challengers further down the order. For instance, Francis Howley drove into rough and later three-putted the long 15th for a costly bogey and Philip Walton lost a ball off a blocked drive down the long 17th, where he, too, ran up a six.

There was inescapable irony in the fact that when McGinley won at Baltray last year, second-placed Eamonn Darcy shot a course-record 64 on the Friday. On this occasion, McGinley carded a course-record 64 last Friday - and suffered the same fate as Darcy.

That particular effort gave the Dubliner a halfway lead of two strokes over Smyth. But there was a dramatic turnaround when they played together in the third round on Saturday, with Smyth out-putting his opponent for a 66 to a disappointing 70. So, the older man carried a two-stroke lead and a wealth of experience into the final round.

McGinley would have remembered losing to Smyth on the final hole in the Glen Dimplex Matchplay Tornament at Seapoint six years ago. Which would have come as no comfort to him in yesterday's challenge, when it effectively become a matchplay exercise from an early stage.

With a birdie at the second where he holed a 12-footer, Smyth extended his lead to three strokes, but it was reduced to two when McGinley birdied the sixth. Then the gap became only one after the Dubliner reached the long 11th in two for a two-putt birdie.

This was when Smyth struck an absolutely crucial blow. After a glorious approach to the 430-yard 12th, he knocked in a putt of 30 feet for a birdie three, thereby restoring his original, two-stroke advantage.

All that remained was careful craftsmanship over the last six holes. And as a reward for work well done, Smyth knocked in a 12-footer on the 18th for a closing birdie. And before departing the scene, he had the effrontery to contemplate a seventh title down the line.