The signs have been good all this week for Donal Mulholland, ever since last Saturday. The signs on the building site alongside the 1st tee in any case – encouragement from his workmates urging ‘Go Sham’. Every day there’s been a different one – it will be interesting to see Saturday’s when he tees up in the final against defending champion, Paul Lowey.

The signs he's shown have not been too bad on the golf course either – the scalps of three ex-champions in the match play, some going and when you realise Kevin Moore’s is amongst them, it really starts to get impressive. If Donal is still in it with nine to play on Saturday afternoon don’t bet against him, all week he’s played the back nine well and on Thursday night he was four under for the eight holes played.

Grant Thornton have got a great final on their hands, it will be a fascinating contest with two of the longest hitters going head to head. But spare a thought for the semi-final losers – Kevin, he’s won it before and it would have been great to see him in the final again - he played well again tonight but it just seemed to go over the last few, in the end going down 2 and 1.

David Sutton tasted the nice taste of match-play victory on the previous evening but tonight had to swallow a bitter pill. He was 2 up after the 15th and looking all over the winner. He let the 16th slip to go to 1 up. His tee shot on the 17th cost him a four and Paul had a bit of luck just missing the right-hand bunker, ending up on the green and making par – all square. Either could have won it on the 18th. Paul hit 337 yards down the middle to leave a short pitch that in turn left a 10 footer and David was a little shorter off the tee but off to the left, even so he got it almost as close. Both achieved regulation fours – down the 1st.

Paul hit a massive tee shot to land some thirty yards short off the green but disaster struck for poor David – a massive slice from the left-hander left the course. A second ball was put in play but it was a token gesture, game to Lowey. David was devastated but he’ll take a lot from this week and will come back the stronger for it.

It’s all set up for a great final. The course is in great shape and so is amateur golf on the Isle of Man.