Andrew McCormick from the Scrabo club in Co Down captured the 52nd Annual Midland Scratch Cup sponsored by Jeff Hawes Golf Design at Carlow on Sunday when he had two shots to spare over another Ulster interprovincial, Chris Moriarty from Clandeboye.

McCormick trailed halfway leader Lee Owens (Royal Dublin) by six shots after the third round. But, while the Scrabo man played steady golf to shoot a fine level-par 70 in high winds and rain, Owens was carding a final round of 10-over-par 80.

Tim Rice (Limerick) finished third, three strokes behind the winner. He was one of only two players to break the par of 70 in final 36 holes, the other being Greg Bowden (Hermitage) who carded a two-under-par 68 in his third round.