Dara Lernihan’s journey to the last 16 was the only highlight for the six-man Irish contingent in the Spanish Amateur Open Championship at La Cañada in Sotogrande.

The Castle player was the only Irishman to make the cut for the matchplay stages and while he beat Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen at the 19th in the first round, he was defeated 3 and 2 by Denmark’s Rasmus Lykke-Kjeldsen in the afternoon.

English Walker Cup star and leading qualifier Matthew Haines will meet Johann López Lázaro of France in what promises to be a sensational opening quarter-final.

Two of the three Spanish survivors, Juan Francisco Sarasti and Emilio Cuartero, will face off in the second match with Kjeldsen facing the fancied Sebastian Garcia.

The winner of that match will take on England’s Tommy Fleetwood or Julien Brun of France in Saturday afternoon’s semi-finals.