Step up Johnny Foster and put it all into perspective. "I took a wee lad down from Ballyclare and I said to him, if the golf doesn't go well then, sure the town is bouncing."

And so the Jordanstown political science graduate added his name to the Mullingar Scratch Cup along side a string of Irish champions - Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Des Smyth, Philip Walton and Paul McGinley.

Foster's flawless putting, mental strength and stoic attitude in the face of some awesome driving from Stackstown's Michael McDermott gave the 25-year-old a final round of 65 for a 13-under-par tournament winning 275 to McDermott's 10-under 278. Adrian Morrow was third on seven-under 281.

The trio formed the final match yesterday afternoon, with McDermott going out two shots ahead of both Foster and Portmarnock's Morrow.

But by the third hole Foster and McDermott, whose combined ages of 20 and 23 was four years younger than 47-year-old Morrow, were on level terms.

By the time the three approached the final turn, however, overnight leader Morrow was effectively struggling to keep in contention - three behind McDermott and four adrift of Foster.

With McDermott regularly driving in excess of 300 yards and reducing many of the par fours to a drive and a pitch, it was the Dublin player's short game which refused to yield birdies when they were so vitally needed. It cost him dearly.

That said, seeing the ball hit so far had the final round crowd childishly excited. Lugging his bag around the undulating course, McDermott drove the 330-yard sixth hole, leaving the ball no more than 20 feet from the pin. At the 17th he left his tee-shot less than 100 yards from the pin at the par-four 417-yard hole. All he was missing was the swoosh and around $100 million in the bank.

"I just changed my set up," he said. "I'm not hitting the ball any harder. I used to be on my heels but now I'm getting more onto my toes."

But the quietly spoken McDermott's length was simply an intriguing aside, and coming up the back nine, with just a shot separating the two, it was Foster's run of three successive birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th which turned the knife.

His punched six-iron to seven feet after a wayward three-wood left him in a copse to the right on the 16th fairway typified the Ulster player's ability to make shots under pressure.

"I saw the whole of Westmeath to the left so I hit into the trees on the right. When it comes down to it those putts across slopes or down hills or those chips . . . it's what you have in your stomach that counts.

"It's very satisfying to come through in front of so many players and Irish selectors," said Foster.

"I was due a few putts. The greens here are so good that I putt better because I trust them. If I can start on the right line then it's as good as in," he said.

Foster sank from 18 feet on the third hole, 25 feet on the fifth and 20 feet on the 18th for birdies and a seven-under-par final round.

There was also a frisson of excitement when Forrest Little's 16-year-old Robert McCarthy finished on two-over-par for the four rounds.

McCarthy, who shot a 69 in his first round, was the only boy to qualify for the competition. He added rounds of 77 74 and 70 for a total of 290 and a share of 12th place.