Galway’s Eddie McCormack fired a five under par 67 to take a two stroke lead into this afternoon’s final round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth.

The Cavan native leads on nine-under par 207 from overnight leader Cian Curley of Newlands, who slipped to a one over par 73.

Mullingar’s Dessie Morgan is just three off the pace after a 70 with defending champion Paul Cutler only four stokes behind on five under after a 69.

After 54 holes

207 E McCormack (Galway) 68 72 67
209 C Curley (Newlands) 68 68 73
210 D Morgan (Mullingar) 67 73 70
211 P Cutler (Portstewart) 68 74 69
213 G McDermot (Co. Sligo) 72 71 70
214 L Lennox (Moyola Park) 76 71 67, J Monaghan (The Island) 74 73 67, P Murray (Limerick) 71 73 70
215 E Maguire (Seapoint) 75 68 72, J Lyons (Galway) 74 72 69, R McCarthy (The Island) 71 76 68
216 T O’Flynn (Fota Island) 76 69 71, G Bohill (Co. Louth) 75 72 69, M Sinclair (Knock) 74 73 69, P Purdy (Shandon Park) 72 74 70, D Lernihan (Castle) 72 70 74, P Dunne (Greystones) 71 72 73, S Devey (Skerries) 70 75 71
217 R Newman (Brookman’s Park) 74 69 74, H Diamond (Belvoir Park) 74 69 74, R McNamara (Headfort) 71 72 74, S Walsh (Baltinglass/UCD) 70 75 72, J Fox (Portmarnock) 70 73 74, D Crowe (Dunmurry) 69 75 73
218 J Hume (Rathsallagh) 78 70 70, G Boyd (Donaghadee) 75 71 72, R O’Donovan (Lucan) 73 70 75, E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 72 74 72, R Cannon (Laytown & Bettystown) 71 76 71
219 R Kenny (Hermitage) 76 71 72, S Crowe (Dunmurry) 76 70 73, D Downie (Sutton) 73 72 74, D Kernohan (Galgorm Castle) 73 72 74, C Martin (Kilkenny) 70 75 74, I O’Rourke (Cork) 69 77 73
220 D Mallon (Dungannon) 76 71 73, A Kearney (Castlerock) 73 69 78, G McGee (Malone) 71 75 74, D McElroy (Ballymena) 70 75 75
221 D Coghlan (The Royal Dublin) 74 73 74, C Doran (Banbridge) 74 71 76, D Coyle (Co. Louth) 72 75 74
222 J Greene (Carlow) 79 69 74, L Harnett (Milltown) 72 73 77, D King (Tramore) 70 77 75
223 D O’Donovan (Muskerry) 73 72 78
224 G McGrane (The Royal Dublin) 75 72 77
225 M Brett (Portmarnock) 73 74 78