Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney shot a battling one-under 71 to share the halfway lead with Spain’s Jacobo Pastor in the Andalucía Challenge de Cádiz.

The Dubliner (32) sandwiched an eagle-birdie-birdie run from the 11th between bogeys at the third, 15th and 16th to lead by one stroke with Pastor on seven-under par from England’s Matthew Baldwin at Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri.

“I struggled a bit more today,” said Kearney, who needs a top four finish to qualify for next week’s Challenge Tour Grand Final.

“I got off to a slow start and didn’t really give myself any chances on the front nine. I had a great run around 11, 12 and 13 but then stumbled home a little bit.

“The wind was high again today and you get into a sort of steering mode where you’re not actually striking the ball, you’re just steering it and I definitely found myself doing a little bit too much of that today.

“I’m swinging the club well, I’m putting well, but I just haven’t given myself enough chances. I need to get into that ten or 12-foot range rather than 25 or 30 feet and hopefully give myself a chance.”

Michael Hoey just five shots off the pace in joint 16th after a 71 but Gavin Moynihan retired when he turned in 40 to slip to six-over.

Andalucía Challenge de Cádiz, Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri (Par 72)

Detailed scores

137 Niall Kearney (Irl) 66 71, J Pastor (Esp) 68 69,

138 M Baldwin (Eng) 72 66,

139 P Angles (Esp) 72 67, M Schneider (Ger) 73 66,

140 A John (Ger) 69 71, A Garcia-heredia (Esp) 69 71, S Gregory (Eng) 71 69,

141 R Kakko (Fin) 69 72, V Lopes (Por) 70 71, S Tarrio (Esp) 70 71, M Ford (Eng) 70 71, C Blomstrand (Swe) 71 70, K Johannessen (Nor) 72 69, J Kaske (Fin) 73 68,

142 D Boote (Wal) 71 71, Michael Hoey (Nir) 71 71, R Gouveia (Por) 72 70, A Muller (Am) (Esp) 72 70, J Axelsen (Den) 73 69,

143 N Moller (Den) 70 73, H Long (Ger) 71 72, A Zemmer (Ita) 72 71, N Von Dellingshausen (Ger) 72 71, E Cuartero Blanco (Esp) 73 70, J Dantorp (Swe) 73 70,

144 E Rousaud (Am) (Esp) 70 74, H Sturehed (Swe) 72 72, D Gavins (Eng) 72 72, F Lacroix (Fra) 73 71, H Magnus (Isl) 74 70, O Lindell (Fin) 75 69,

145 J Thomson (Eng) 71 74, S Matus (Cze) 71 74, P Oriol (Esp) 71 74, B Neil (Sco) 71 74, L Nemecz (Aut) 71 74, M Simonsen (Den) 72 73, A Hortal (Esp) 72 73, R Van West (Ned) 74 71, J Fahrbring (Swe) 74 71,

146 M Elvira (Esp) 69 77, E Di Nitto (Ita) 70 76, M Siem (Ger) 73 73, T Gandy (Imn) 73 73, N Kimsey (Eng) 73 73, R De Sousa (Sui) 75 71, T Koivisto (Usa) 75 71, A Knappe (Ger) 77 69,

147 S Fernandez (Esp) 71 76, G Stal (Fra) 75 72, M Wiegele (Aut) 75 72, A Del Rey (Esp) 76 71, A Esmatges (Esp) 78 69,

148 J Sandborg (Swe) 71 77, J Wrisdale (Eng) 71 77, H Dana (Ger) 71 77, K Kouwenaar (Ned) 72 76, A Wilson (Eng) 72 76, A Plant (Eng) 73 75, M Fenasse (Fra) 73 75, B Hellgren (Swe) 75 73, F Maccario (Ita) 75 73, M Ovesen (Den) 77 71,

CUT

149 L Scalise (Ita) 70 79, C Howie (Sco) 73 76, C Sahlstrom (Swe) 74 75, A Hidalgo (Esp) 74 75, H Ellis (Eng) 76 73, S Manley (Wal) 78 71, R Petersson (Swe) 78 71, I Cantero Gutierrez (Esp) 78 71, J Brun (Fra) 80 69,

150 C Mivis (Bel) 74 76, A Karlsson (Swe) 76 74, K Koivu (Fin) 76 74, S Tiley (Eng) 76 74, E Walker (Sco) 78 72, V Pastor (Esp) 79 71,

151 D Borda (Esp) 76 75, J Adarraga Gomez (Esp) 77 74,

152 E Lopez-chacarra (Am) (Esp) 74 78, M Lundberg (Swe) 75 77, M Beltran (Esp) 76 76, S Del Val (Esp) 77 75, D Young (Sco) 78 74,

153 G Kristjansson (Isl) 76 77, D Foos (Ger) 78 75, D Berna Manzanares (Esp) 78 75,

154 J Sainz (Esp) 78 76,

155 L Vacarisas (Esp) 77 78, M Lampert (Ger) 77 78,

156 M Pastor (Esp) 77 79,

159 B Virto (Esp) 79 80,

**

Out Gavin Moynihan (Irl) 74 Rt, M Galiano Aguilar (Esp) 73 Rt,