Rafferty rolls into last 16 at Royal Portrush

The new eighth hole at Royal Portrush

Leading qualifier Caolan Rafferty cruised into the last 16 in the Cathedral Eye sponsored North of Ireland Amateur Open at Royal Portrush.

The Dundalk man beat Stackstown's John McCarthy 3 and 2 before seeing off Dungannon's Dwayne Mallon 6 and 4 to set up a third round showdown with Tandragee' Ross Dutton.

Kinsale's John Murphy will get the third round action underway at 0745 when he faces Kirkistown Castle's Derek Downie, who beat defending champion Sean Flanagan at the 20th in the first round.

Internationals Colin Fairweather, Alex Gleeson and Rowan Lester also made it through the opening day of matchplay combat unscathed.

Lester was the last man to finish, beating Darren Clarke's son Tyrone Clarke 2 and 1. Clarke had beaten Tandragee's Stefan Greenberg at 20th in the morning and led early on against US-based Lester before falling at the 16th.

Gleeson has not found his best for so far this and now faces a tough third round clash with Laytown and Bettystown's Eugene Smith.

Last year's West of Ireland champion Jonny Yates also made it to the last 16, where he will face a tough opponent in Galway's Ronan Mullarney, the Mullingar Scratch Trophy holder.

North of Ireland Amateur Open, Royal Portrush GC, sponsored by Cathedral Eye 

Match play draw

Round three - July 13

1. 07:45 Derek Downie (Kirkistown Castle) v John Murphy (Kinsale)
2. 08:00 Gareth Lappin (Belvoir Park) v Colin Fairweather (Knock)
3. 08:15 Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock) v Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire)
4. 08:30 Ross Dutton (Tandragee) v Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 
5. 08:45 Alex Gleeson (Castle) v Eugene Smith (Laytown & Bettystown)
6. 09:00 Finlay Mason (Moor Hall) v Paul Murphy (Rosslare)
7. 09:15 Jonathan Yates (Naas) v Ronan Mullarney (Galway)
8. 09:30 Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) v Rowan Lester (Hermitage)

Round two - July 12

1. Derek Downie (Kirkistown Castle) bt Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 6/5
2. John Murphy (Kinsale) bt Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) 4/3
3. Gareth Lappin (Belvoir Park) bt Henry Young-alls (Notts) 4/3
4. Colin Fairweather (Knock) bt Alex Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) 1 hole
5. Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock) bt Hugh O’Hare (Fortwilliam) 5/4
6. Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) bt Lukas Michel (Metropolitan, Aus) 1 hole
7. Ross Dutton (Tandragee) bt Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 1 hole
8. Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) bt Dwayne Mallon (Dungannon) 6/4
9. Alex Gleeson (Castle) bt Michael Ryan Jnr (New Ross) 2 holes
10. Eugene Smith (Laytown & Bettystown) bt Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) 2/1
11. Finlay Mason (Moor Hall) bt Gregory Royston (Cotswold Downs) 1 hole
12. Paul Murphy (Rosslare) bt Cathal Nolan (Galway) 3/2
13. Jonathan Yates (Naas) bt James Hewitt (Tandragee) 6/4
14. Ronan Mullarney (Galway) bt Neill Simpson (Kirkistown Castle) 8/7
15. Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) bt Aaron Kearney (Castlerock) 2 holes
16. Rowan Lester (Hermitage) bt Tyrone Clarke (Royal Portrush) 2/1

Round one - July 12

1. Derek Downie (Kirkistown Castle) bt Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo) at 20th
2. Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) W/O James Sugrue (Mallow) 
3. Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) bt Colin Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 19th
4. John Murphy (Kinsale) bt Kiet Van Der Weele (Rosendealsche) 1 Hole
5. Gareth Lappin (Belvoir Park) bt David McDonald (Old Conna) 2&1
6. Henry Young-alls (Notts) bt Jake Hapgood (Southerndown) 1 Hole
7. Alex Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) bt Kyle McCarron (North West) 5&3
8. Colin Fairweather (Knock) bt Danny Cullen (Walton Heath) 3&2
9. Hugh O’Hare (Fortwilliam) bt Rody Haije (Goyer Golfclub) 4&3
10. Darragh Coghlan (Portmarnock) bt Jason Ackerman (Silverlakes) 5&4
11. Lukas Michel (Metropolitan, Aus) bt William Russell (Clandeboye) 4&2
12. Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) bt Robert Brazill (Naas) 1 Hole
13. Cathal Butler (Kinsale) bt Andrew Clegg (Donaghadee) 2 Holes
14. Ross Dutton (Tandragee) bt Ryan Berkeley (Dun Laoghaire) at 20th
15. Dwayne Mallon (Dungannon) bt Evan Farrell (Ardee) 2&1
16. Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) bt John McCarthy (Stackstown) 3&2
17. Alex Gleeson (Castle) bt Jake Whelan (Newlands) 1 Hole
18. Michael Ryan Jnr (New Ross) bt Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu) 2&1
19. Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) bt Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 4&2
20. Eugene Smith (Laytown & Bettystown) bt Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) 2&1
21. Gregory Royston (Cotswold Downs) bt John Gough (Wexham Park) 1 Hole
22. Finlay Mason (Moor Hall) bt Matthew Murphy (Clandeboye) 3&2
23. Paul Murphy (Rosslare) bt Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) 3&1
24. Cathal Nolan (Galway) bt Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) 2&1
25. Jonathan Yates (Naas) bt Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) 4&3
26. James Hewitt (Tandragee) bt Ben Murray (Waterford Castle) 5&3
27. Neill Simpson (Kirkistown Castle) bt Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park) at 19th
28. Ronan Mullarney (Galway) bt Matthew McClean (Matfen Hall) at 19th
29. Aaron Kearney (Castlerock) bt Jamie Stothers (Tandragee) 6&4
30. Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) bt Eoin Leonard (Wentworth/Killiney) 1 up
31. Tyrone Clarke (Royal Portrush) bt Stefan Greenberg (Tandragee) at 20th
32. Rowan Lester (Hermitage) bt Graeme Arthur (Carrickfergus) 4&3