The University of Limerick’s Jonathan Keane opened with an impressive 71 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Irish Intervarsity Championship at a testing St. Anne’s.

The Lahinch golfer made three birdies and three bogeys in a level par round on a day when the 62-strong men’s field averaged 81.24 at the Bull Island links.

Maynooth University’s Alan Hill and UCD’s Charlie Denvir are tied for second after 73’s.

In the women’s event, UCD’s Ellen O'Gorman and UCC’s Rachel Thompson lead on eight-over after hard-fought 80’s.

They lead by three strokes from Maynooth University’s Kate Dwyer and Ulster University’s Niamh Ward.

The National College of Ireland is making its debut in the event which features 75 men and women representing 15 universities and colleges, including two from overseas.

The Top-33 male players (currently 8-over or better) and the top six female players, plus ties, will advance to Friday’s third and final round.

Irish Intervarsity Championship, St. Anne’s GC (Par 71)

Round 1

Men

Detailed scores

71 J Keane (Univ. of Limerick);

73 A Hill (Maynooth Univ.), C Denvir (UCD);

74 J O'Farrell (Galway-Mayo IT), J Egan (UCC), A Comerford (NUI Galway), D Flynn (Maynooth Univ.);

75 S McDermott (NUI Galway), S Desmond (UCC), J McCarthy (UCD), A Flynn (Trinity College Dublin), T Mulligan (Maynooth Univ.);

76 E Murphy (Maynooth Univ.), T Smyth (TU Dublin), L Cleere (Maynooth Univ.), J Mackin (Maynooth Univ.), J Shellard (Ulster Univ.), P Conroy (Maynooth Univ.), D Kitt (Maynooth Univ.), L Merrigan (TU Dublin), H Fanagan (UCD);

77 J Quinn (Dublin City Univ.), C Hickey (Dooks), L Flynn (Trinity College Dublin), M Kennelly (NUI Galway), A Smith (Maynooth Univ.), I Smith (Trinity College Dublin);

78 L Harris (Maynooth Univ.), A Marshall (Ulster Univ.), B Crawford (Ulster Univ.), P Greene (Ulster Univ.), C Moynihan (National College of Ireland);

79 R Jennings (Maynooth Univ.), A Fahy (Maynooth Univ.), K Robinson (TU Dublin);

80 J Knipe (Ulster Univ.), P O'Doherty (Dublin City Univ.), A Cromwell (Ulster Univ.);

81 T Probst (IT Sligo), M Benner (NUI Galway), D Rochford (UCD);

82 C Cunningham (NUI Galway), S McGonigle (Galway-Mayo IT), S O'Hanlon (Maynooth Univ.), J Napier (Plymouth Marjon), C Cummins (TU Dublin);

84 R Abernethy (Maynooth Univ.), T Evans (Ulster Univ.), M Twaddle (UCC);

85 C Joyce (NUI Galway);

86 E Kennedy (Galway-Mayo IT);

87 C Walsh (Galway-Mayo IT);

88 C Murphy (Galway-Mayo IT);

89 E McGarry (National College of Ireland);

95 A Pilkington (Galway-Mayo IT), A Orueta Bengoa (Dublin Business School);

96 G Hughes (Galway-Mayo IT);

99 N Cox (NUI Galway);

103 D Early (National College of Ireland).

Women (Par 72)

Detailed scores

80 E O'Gorman (UCD), R Thompson (UCC);

83 K Dwyer (Maynooth Univ.), N Ward (Ulster Univ.);

89 O O'Rorke (Dublin City Univ.);

93 B Lecanda Prado (Dublin Business School);

94 A Mac Nulty (TU Dublin);

112 N Daly (National College of Ireland).