McCarron leads West of Ireland qualifiers

Kyle McCarron (Ulster) driving at the 9th tee during the final day of the 2017 Interprovincial Matches at Carlow Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman. Picture by Pat Cashman

North West's Kyle McCarron added a two-under 69 to his opening 68 to lead the qualifiers for the matchplay stages of the West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.

The 2014 Irish Youths champion mixed an eagle and four birdies with two bogeys and a double-bogey at the seventh to finish on five-under-par 137, edging out 2016 West of Ireland champion Jonathan Yates from Naas on a countback for the silver medal.

Yates also shot rounds of 68 and 69 but lost out to McCarron, whose birdie at the 18th decided the countback in his favour.

They finished a shot ahead of first-round leader Robin Dawson from Tramore, who could not repeat his first round form and followed his championship record 64 with a 74 to finish third on four-under.

The cut for the leading 64 who will tee it up in the first matchplay round today fell at eight-over 150 with Tandragee’s William Small edging out Baltinglass teenager Joseph Byrne for 64th on a countback after their 76s.

All eight members of the Irish panel made the matchplay with Irish Amateur Open champion Peter O’Keeffe from Douglas carding a best of the day 67 to finish on two-under.

Castle’s Peter McKeever shot 69 to finish fourth on three-under alongside two-time Irish Boys champion Mark Power (17), who posted a 72.

It was also a good day for McKeever's Castle clubmate Alex Gleeson, who shot 69 to qualify in eighth place on level par.

Palmerstown Stud's Anthony McDaid had a hole in one at the fourth in a 73 to qualify comfortably on 148.

The first round threw up some interesting matches with defending champion Barry Anderson taking on 2010 South of Ireland winner, John Greene with Power facing Paul O'Hanlon, the former professional who lost to Rory McIlroy in the 2006 final.

West of Ireland Amateur Open, sponsored by Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Sligo, County Sligo GC (Par 71)

First round - Sunday, 1 April

1. 07:30 Kyle McCarron (North West) v William Small (Tandragee)
2. 07:39 William Russell (Clandeboye) v Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene)
3. 07:48 Jack Pierse (Portmarnock) v John McCarthy (Stackstown)
4. 07:57 Robert Moran (Castle) v Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth)
5. 08:06 Alex Gleeson (Castle) v Jack Doherty (Carton House)
6. 08:15 Jake Hapgood (Southerndown) v Thomas Neenan (Lahinch)
7. 08:24 Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick) Paul Coughlan (Castleknock)
8. 08:33 Conor Ryan (Dun Laoghaire) v Anthony McDaid (Palmerstown Stud)
9. 08:42 Peter McKeever (Castle) v Eddie McCormack (Galway Bay)
10. 08:51 Andrew McCormack (Castletroy) v Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan)
11. 09:00 TJ Ford (Co. Sligo) v Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin)
12. 09:09 Gary McDermott (Carton House) v James Fox (Portmarnock)
13. 09:18 Mark Power (Kilkenny) v Paul O'Hanlon (Carton house )
14. 09:27 Jack Walsh (Castle) v Robbie Hynes (The Royal Dublin)
15. 09:36 Thomas O'Connor (Athlone) v Aaron Marshall (Lisburn)
16. 09:45 Ryan McKinstry (Cairndhu) v Charlie Denvir (Elm Park)
17. 09:54 Jonathan Yates (Naas) v Allan Hill (Athenry)
18. 10:03 Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) v Robert Brazill (Naas)
19. 10:12 Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin) v John Greene (Portmarnock)
20. 10:21 Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint) v Michael Jnr Ryan (New Ross)
21. 10:30 Paraic Connolly (Killeen Castle) v John Brady (Rosslare)
22. 10:39 Aaron Kearney (Castlerock) v Niall Hearns (Mountrath)
23. 10:48 Keith Egan (Carton House) v Fergal Kennedy (The Island)
24. 10:57 Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) v Dwayne Mallon (Dungannon)
25. 11:06 Robin Dawson (Tramore) v Marc Nolan (Dun Laoghaire)
26. 11:15 Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) v Fraser Carr (Kirkistown Castle)
27. 11:24 Alex Maguire (Laytown & Bettystown) v David McAleenon (Edenmore)
28. 11:33 Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo) v Gavin Smyth (Clonmel);
29. 11:42 Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas) v Sean Ryan (The Royal Dublin)
30. 11:51 Luke O'Neill (Connemara) v Rory Williamson (Holywood)
31. 12:00 Jake Whelan (Newlands) v Jack Madden (Royal Portrush)
32. 12:09 Gary Collins (Rosslare) v Michael Sinclair (Knock).

Qualifiers

137 K McCarron (North West) 68 69 (leading qualifier); J Yates (Naas) 68 69;

138 R Dawson (Tramore) 64 74;

139 P McKeever (Castle) 70 69; M Power (Kilkenny) 67 72

140 P O’Keeffe (Douglas) 73 67; P Connolly (Killeen Castle) 71 69;

142 A Gleeson (Castle) 73 69; R Black (Hilton Templepatrick) 71 71;

143 K Egan (Carton House) 75 68; J Whelan (Newlands) 73 70; T O’Connor (Athlone) 70 73;

144 T Ford (Co. Sligo) 73 71; A Maguire (Laytown & Bettystown) 72 72; B Anderson (The Royal Dublin) 71 73;

145 J Pierse (Portmarnock) 74 71; R Moran (Castle) 73 72; J Fletcher (Warrenpoint) 73 72; S Flanagan (Co. Sligo) 72 73; G McDermott (Carton House) 72 73; R McKinstry (Cairndhu) 71 74; G Collins (Rosslare) 70 75; J Mc Donnell (Forrest Little) 67 78;

146 C Ryan (Dun Laoghaire) 74 72; J Hapgood (Southerndown) 73 73; A Kearney (Castlerock) 73 73; L O’Neill (Connemara) 72 74; J Walsh (Castle) 72 74; A McCormack (Castletroy) 72 74; C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) 70 76;

147 S Cullen (Slieve Russell) 75 72; W Russell (Clandeboye) 73 74; T McLarnon (Massereene) 72 75; R Brazill (Naas) 72 75; F Carr (Kirkistown Castle) 72 75;

148 S McDermott (Co. Cavan) 77 71; R Hynes (The Royal Dublin) 76 72; R Williamson (Holywood) 76 72; N Hearns (Mountrath) 75 73; T Neenan (Lahinch) 75 73; A McDaid (Palmerstown Stud) 75 73; D Mallon (Dungannon) 74 74; M Sinclair (Knock) 74 74; C Denvir (Elm Park) 73 75; J Fox (Portmarnock) 73 75; G Smyth (Clonmel) 73 75; M Ryan (New Ross) 73 75; G Dunne (Co. Louth) 72 76; J McCarthy (Stackstown) 71 77; J Greene (Portmarnock) 70 78;

149 D McAleenon (Edenmore) 77 72; R Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 75 74; A Marshall (Lisburn) 74 75; J Madden (Royal Portrush) 73 76; F Kennedy (The Island) 73 76

150 P Coughlan (Castleknock) 79 71; J Doherty (Carton House) 77 73; J Brady (Rosslare) 77 73; S Ryan (The Royal Dublin) 77 73; P O’Hanlon (Carton House ) 76 74; E McCormack  (Galway Bay) 75 75; M Nolan (Dun Laoghaire) 75 75; A Hill (Athenry) 75 75; W Small (Tandragee) 74 76. 

Non-qualifiers

150 J Byrne (Baltinglass) 74 76; S Desmond (Monkstown) 74 76; R O’Connor (Co. Sligo) 73 77; R O’Doherty (Enniscrone) 71 79;

151 D Brady (Co. Sligo) 78 73; G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 78 73; J Timlin (Dungannon) 77 74; J Knipe (Royal Portrush ) 77 74; E Farrell (Ardee) 75 76; A Lowry (Esker Hills) 75 76; N Crawford (Mourne) 75 76; B Best (Rathmore) 74 77; J Quinn (The Island) 74 77; C Dawson (Tramore) 73 78; D Morgan (Carton House) 72 79; D Kitt (Athenry) 72 79; M Kennedy (The Royal Dublin) 72 79;

152 O Maguire (Slieve Russell) 78 74; S Barker (Mourne) 77 75; J Lyons (Galway) 76 76; H Gillivan (Westport) 74 78; G Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) 72 80; C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 71 81; 

153 R Kelly (Galway Bay) 78 75;

154 D Reddan Jnr (Nenagh) 82 72; B Daly (Edmondstown) 81 73; A Gaynor (Co. Sligo) 80 74; P Murray (Clontarf) 78 76; C Daly (Castletroy) 78 76; G Copeland (Ardglass) 76 78; D  Brophy (Castleknock) 76 78; S Carter (The Royal Dublin) 75 79;

155 P Kelly (Co. Armagh) 79 76; M Morrissey (Co. Sligo) 78 77; T Coffey (Slieve Russell) 77 78; J Blake (The Island) 76 79; J Logue (Hilton Templepatrick) 75 80; N McGrane (The Royal Dublin) 75 80;

156 I Kettyle (Rathmore ) 77 79;

157 S Underwood (Co. Sligo) 79 78; J McVicker (Knock) 79 78; J O’Leary (Dromoland) 79 78; S O’Connor (Castlebar) 78 79; 

158 M Kennelly (Galway Bay) 79 79; K McCormack (Portarlington) 77 81; R McNeilis (Fintona) 76 82; H Foley (The Royal Dublin) 75 83; 

159 M Looby (Greystones) 81 78; S Carter (The Heritage) 80 79; B Shally (Dromoland) 77 82; M Shiel (Galway Bay) 77 82; R Pierse (Grange) 76 83;

160 S Garrett (Portstewart) 83 77; G McGrane (The Royal Dublin) 79 81;

161 R Berkeley (Dun Laoghaire) 78 83;

162 A Hickey (Ballyhaunis) 80 82;

163 P Flynn (Tramore) 84 79; G McKenna (Donaghadee) 80 83;

164 D O’Neill (Carton House) 84 80; C Feeney (Co. Sligo) 81 83;

165 P Buckley (Memorial (Tx) USA) 79 86;

NS J Murphy (Greenore)