Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins and Cregmore Park’s Paraic McGrath set the pace after the opening round of the Irish Boys U16 Championship at Donabate.

Higgins made an eagle and three birdies in a 69 and was joined on two-under by McGrath, who racked up six birdies.

They lead by a shot from English visitor Frank Kennedy while six players are tied for fifth on level par, including internationals Joshua Hill from Galgorm Castle and Baltinglass’ Joseph Byrne.

Hill was one of four Irish players included in the nine-strong Great Britain & Ireland team for the Jacques Leglise Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Aldeburgh Golf Club in England from Aug 30-31.

The top-50 and ties after today’s second round will qualify for Friday’s final round.

Irish Boys U16 Championship, Donabate Golf Club (Par 71)

Detailed scores

Round one

69 T Higgins (Roscommon), P McGrath (Cregmore Park)

70 F Kennedy (England)

71 L Lyons (Limerick), J Hill (Galgorm Castle ), B Wilson (Warrenpoint), J Byrne (Baltinglass), G O'Neill (Malahide), C Mons (Germany)

72 C O'Connor (Roscommon), R Fives (Faithlegg), M Ball (Rathmore), P Ulmrich (Germany)

73 E Simonsen (France), L Abom (Edmondstown), A Murray (Roganstown), E McArthur (Royal Portrush), N Gohm (Germany), K Anderson (Galgorm Castle)

74 P Keeling (Roganstown ), M O Sullivan (Ballyneety), E Freeman (Naas), S Novotny (Germany), L Cunningham (Galway Bay), A King (Faithlegg), B St.John (Portmarnock), J Strang (Royal Portrush), M Cully (Royal Tara), D Hogg (Belvoir Park)

75 C Parke (Knock), A Mercie de Soultrait (France), C Kelly (Athlone), F Dobbin (Malone), A Bolger (Castle), Z Collins (Muskerry), L McKeen (Co. Louth), J McMaster (Holywood), A Byrne (Waterford), B Hanratty (Donabate), J Murphy (Douglas), T Lanigan (Carton House), M Deasy (Lee Valley), D McNicholl (Westmanstown), M O'Brien (Elm Park), B Nolan (Woodbrook)

76 D Lally (Blainroe), A Darrah (Royal Portrush), L Flaherty (Roganstown), P Ó Dochartaigh (Gweedore), J Foley (Elm Park), C Ward (Carton House), H Griesheimer (Germany), J Cunningham (Carton House)

77 S Spicer (Dromoland), M Burns (Ardglass), D Finn (Loughrea), J Mitten (Westmanstown), S Deasy (Lee Valley), I Winn (Ballyneety), R McHugh (Baltinglass), S Inglis (Killiney), A Papaziani (France), H Mc Ardle (Warrenpoint), R Campbell (Greenacres), E Garvey (Laytown & Bettystown), D Behan (Naas), R Donnellan (Galway Bay ), R Davidson (Knock)

78 T Abom (Edmondstown), L Kelly (Belvoir Park), B Caffrey (Ardee), J Walsh (Kinsale ), K Connaughton (Roscommon), C Sheridan (Craddockstown), J Quinn (Castle), D Strachan (France), R Govan (The Island), N McGowan (Woodbrook), E Cassidy (Kinsale), L Mitchell (Portmarnock), R Link (Germany)

79 D Mulligan (Laytown & Bettystown), M Sandoz (Wales), C Reilly (Royal Tara), M Carson (Royal Belfast), S Sex (Portmarnock), F Farrell (Carrick-on-Shannon), F Hoare (Roscommon), L Dutartre (France)

80 R O'Shea (Elm Park), P Gogarty (Laytown & Bettystown), L Winter (Germany), J McNulty (Headfort), L Murdoch (Scotland), E Magill (East Clare), M Whelan (Ennis), L Kilfeather (Galway)

81 C Rice (Doneraile), A Foley (Edmondstown), C Quinn (Castle), J O'Sullivan (Malone), E O'Sullivan (The Heritage), B Hanratty (Donabate), A Luddy (Mitchelstown), C O'Sullivan (Killiney), C McFadden (Headfort), C Keenan (Balmoral), M Fitzgibbon (Portmarnock), A Fraser (Dun Laoghaire)

82 C Collins (Bermuda), J Adler (Nenagh), R O'Keeffe (Monkstown), T Jago Byrne (Palmerstown House Estate), D Cronin (Co. Sligo)

83 B Bracken (Portmarnock), H O'Connell (Royal Dublin), J Kelly (Bray)

84 P Curran (Edmondstown), C Rowe (Tandragee), T Morrison (Carrickfergus), J McArthur (Royal Portrush), T Dodds (Rathmore), D McDonogh (Oughterard), C Feeney (Enniscrone)

85 O Reilly (Newlands), M Holohan (Seapoint), C Sullivan (Forrest Little), C Flavin (Youghal), S Varian (Dun Laoghaire), M McK eown (Dun Laoghaire), E Rowe (Lisburn)

86 D Sullivan (Forrest little), A Kelly (Castle Barna)

87 L Freeman (Ballaghaderreen), N McCormack (Palmerstown House Estate)

88 L Giblin (Carton House), J Higgins (Donabate), A Moran (Castle)

89 T Bischoff (Germany), R Murray (Roganstown)

WD 82 S Calvert (Ballyneety)

NS 0 A Curran (Craddockstown), C Diggin (Omagh), A Valery (France)