Irish hopes in the British Boys Open Amateur Championship over the tough Saunton course in north Devon disappeared in dramatic fashion last night.

Shandon Park's Michael Hoey, the last surviving Irish player, bowed out in the quarter-finals at the first extra hole to Finland's Mikko Ilonen. Having edged out City of Derry's David Jones on the home green in the morning, Hoey, the 18-year-old son of former Irish international Brian Hoey, a current selector, felt he had a great chance of making the semi-finals.

Everything started well enough for the College Boys champion, as he was two up after three holes, but then a dramatic about-turn saw Ilonen take four on the trot, two with birdies, to move in front.

And he increased that lead to be three up with four to play.

Then, however, Hoey showed his fighting qualities in the most amazing of fashions. A birdie at the 15th reduced the gap and he took advantage of a double bogey by Ilonen at the 17th to prolong the match before firing in the most spectacular of six-iron shots to within a foot of the flag at the 18th.

They went to the 19th, but a pushed drive and a poor second cost him dearly. He could not get up and down, whereas Ilonen was safely at the heart of the green in two and made no mistake, lagging his first putt stone dead.

Now Ilonen will meet Warwickshire's Richard Jones this morning while in the other semi-final the brilliant Spaniard, Sergio Garcia, who won the European Men's Championship at the age of 15 two years ago, meets Gloucestershire's Nick Burrows.

Hoey was naturally disappointed at his defeat but is now looking forward to next week's Irish Boys Championship at Derry.

British Boys Open Amateur Championship (Saunton, Devon) - Fifth round: C Nilsson (Swe) bt G Thompson (Moray) 4 and 3, S Garcia (Spa) bt T Whitehouse (Maxstoke Park) 6 and 5, N Burrows (Minchinhampton) bt J Hall (North Hants) 5 and 4, S Robinson (Wynyard) bt P Celhay (Fra), M Ilonen (Fin) bt J Lupton (Middlesbrough) 1 hole, M Hoey (Shandon Park) bt D Jones (City of Derry) 1 hole, R Jones (Harborne) bt N Bruzelius (Swe) 1 hole, R Sundgren (Swe) bt C Gill (Exeter) 2 and 1. Quarter-finals: Garcia bt Nilsson 3 and 2, Burrows bt Robinson 2 and 1, Ilonen bt Hoey at 19th, Jones bt Sundgren 2 and 1.