Pierse in McGinley's footsteps at Leinster Youths
Snow falls as Newlands’ Jake Whelan drives off the 10th tee at The European Club. Photo Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ieRobbie Pierse will be bidding to join Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley on the list of Grange men to lift the title when he takes a healthy four-stroke lead into the final round of what will be a 54-hole Leinster Youths Amateur Open at The European Club.
On a day when just eight players broke 80, the Dubliner carded a best of the day 75 for the second day running at the testing Co Wicklow links to lead on eight over 150 from Rosslare’s Gary Collins after another bitterly cold, windlashed day on Brittas Bay.
Leinster Youths photo gallery (external site)
McGinley became the first Grange player to lift the title at Delgany in 1985 and repeated the feat two years later at the same venue before David Ryan triumphed at The Island in 2003.
Mallow’s James Sugrue is lurking just five shots behind Pierse on as the cut for the top 42 to contest the final 36 holes fell at 27 over 169 with New Ross’ Michael Ryan unlucky to be cut on countback after rounds of 85 and 84 from Delgany’s Matthew Kiernan.
Leader Robbie PIerse (Grange) plays his approach to the 18th. Photo Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ieCarton House’s Harry Coyne and Naas’ Jonathan Yates are well in touch on 156 with Newlands’ Jake Whelan (157), Athenry’s David Burne (158) and Massereene’s Tiarnan McLarnon (158) still in with a chance on the final day if the winds continues to blow.
Leinster Youths Amateur Open Championship, The European Club, 25-27 March 2013
Sponsored by Sigma Wireless
Results after 36 holes qualifying (Par 71) SSS 73
Rounds 1 & 2 - CSS Reduction only
150 R Pierse (Grange) 75 75
154 G Collins (Rosslare) 76 78
155 J Sugrue (Mallow) 75 80
156 H Coyne (Carton House) 78 78, J Yates (Naas) 76 80
157 J Whelan (Newlands) 77 80
158 D Byrne (Athenry) 80 78, T McLarnon (Massereene) 80 78
161 A Myles (Newlands) 82 79, D Brennan (Shannon) 81 80
162 E Farrell (Ardee) 82 80, S Carter (Stackstown) 81 81, M McClean (Balmoral) 80 82, R Long (Cairndhu) 80 82, P Coughlan (Moate) 77 85
163 R Brazill (Rathsallagh) 81 82, S Kinch (Hermitage/NUIM) 81 82
164 S Guilfoyle (Arklow) 84 80, N Worth (The Island) 81 83, J McVicker (Knock) 79 85
165 G Mac Namara (Woodbrook) 82 83, A Lowry (Esker Hills) 82 83, J Breen (Kirkistown Castle) 81 84
166 J Conroy (Bray) 87 79, C Melvin (Corrstown) 87 79, J Patmore (Lisburn) 85 81, J Galbraith (Whitehead) 83 83, D Shaw (Belvoir Park) 81 85, C Rafferty (Greenore) 77 89
167 T Lindsay (Fortwilliam) 82 85, N McKinstry (Cairndhu) 81 86, C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) 80 87, J Hood (Galgorm Castle) 80 87, K Lynch (Skibbereen) 78 89
168 M Nolan (Delgany) 88 80, C Kennedy (Forrest Little) 83 85, H Scott (Castle) 83 85, R O’Dwyer (Callan) 82 86, R McKinstry (Cairndhu) 81 87
169 D Reddan (Nenagh) 87 82, J Neiland (Blainroe) 86 83, M Kiernan (Delgany) 85 84,
Non Qualifiers
169 M Ryan (New Ross) 85 84
170 C Coyne (Youghal) 86 84, L Grehan (Mullingar) 85 85, K Murphy (Charlesland) 83 87, J Robinson (Royal Portrush) 81 89
171 D O’Connor (Athlone) 85 86, C Woodroofe (Blainroe) 84 87
172 L O’Dwyer (Forrest Little) 92 80, L Harnett (Milltown) 89 83, A Kiernan (Forrest Little) 84 88, C Stone (Carton House) 82 90
173 J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) 90 83, J Lindsay (City of Derry/Ulster) 88 85, S Mc Carthy (Killeen Castle) 88 85, D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) 85 88, A Connolly (Massereene) 82 91, C Keown (Greystones) 81 92
174 E Harris (Douglas) 89 85, G Young (Birr) 89 85, S Cannon (Loughrea) 85 89
175 M MacGrath (Limerick) 91 84, C Crowley (Woodbrook) 86 89
176 M Culhane (Limerick) 92 84, D Hinds (City of Derry) 89 87, E Griffin (Waterford) 88 88, C Gorevan (Carton House) 87 89, S Sloman (taunton & Pickeridge) 83 93
177 B O’Reilly (Athenry) 92 85, R Mohan (The Island) 92 85, R McCullough (Massereene) 89 88, M Murphy (Clandeboye) 85 92
178 S Walsh (Carton House) 92 86, S Irwin (Holywood) 91 87, C Murphy (West Waterford) 85 93
179 D Fitzgerald (Limerick) 96 83, T Sloman (taunton& Pickeridge) 92 87, C Dullaghan (Greenore) 87 92
180 J Diederichs (Golf Club Hösel) 95 85
181 I Collins (Bray) 94 87, A Keenan (Dundalk) 93 88
182 S Bleakley (Shandon Park) 90 92
183 A Conlon (Malahide) 93 90
184 B Horgan (Dun Laoghaire) 90 94
185 E Kelly (Co. Meath) 89 96, J Keenan (Old Conna) 86 99
186 S Maloney (Dunmurry Springs) 95 91
193 E O Brien (Clontarf) 100 93
NR J Connolly (Massereene) 101 NR, A Montgomery (Old Conna) 103 NR, S Mernagh (Enniscorthy) 86 NR, J Roche (Bray) 87 NR, M McCann (Warrenpoint) 95 NR
WTD S O’Connor (Carton House) 80 WTD, B McCormack (Castle Barna) 91 WTD