Dunne and Hayward lead by two at Seapoint

Gerard Dunne celebrates his eagle at the last in the Flogas Irish Men's Amateur Open Championship. Photo: Tom Maher / Inpho.

County Louth's Gerard Dunne eagled the last to keep his hopes alive of notching his maiden championship win in the Flogas Irish Men's Amateur Open Championship at Seapoint.

The former Seapoint member made a brilliant three at the 18th to shoot 70 before Englishman Lewy Hayward tapped in his birdie putt to join him in a tie for the lead on 12 under.

Royal Porthcawl's Matt Roberts carded a superb 67 to sit alone in third place on ten under with Carlisle's Archie Davies and Co Louth's Stuart Grehan a shot further back.

"It's great to have a championship like this local and take advantage of the local knowledge when you can," Dunne said.

"I was a member here from probably 10 or 11 years of age up to 22 or 23, so I know it nearly as well as my home course.

"I'd say there will be a fair few going up to Croke Park and you couldn't blame them. I'm really hoping Louth can get the business done, and whoever is out to support tomorrow would be much appreciated, but I'm looking forward to another tough day and a bit of a challenge.

"If we double up, you won't see us for a week."

The cut fell at three-over par with 59 golfers making it through, including Dooks' Conor Hickey, who propelled himself to safety thanks to a hole-in-one on the 17th — his second ace after making one at neighbouring Baltray last year.

Twenty-nine golfers finished under par through 54 holes, with reigning East of Ireland champion Caolan Rafferty three under after a 71.

Defending champion Matt McClean from. Malone slipped back to six under after a 76. and will look to make an early move on Sunday, while Hayward hopes to upset the home supporters when he tees off alongside Dunne and Roberts at 11.34 am.

"Was a bit of a grind out there today coming in," said Hayward. "Had a good front nine, four under, and then had a little rough spell in the middle, but I was very happy with how I bounced back to finish birdie, birdie to keep myself in contention.

"I was just happy with how I grinded. Just kept thinking one shot at a time and tried to hole some putts and see where it took me.

"We'll just keep playing one shot at a time tomorrow and see how it goes."

Flogas Irish Amateur Open, Seapoint (Par 72)

Detailed scores

Total	Player	R1	R2	R3
204	Lewy Hayward Marlborough, England	69	65	70
204	Gerard Dunne Co. Louth GC, Ireland	67	67	70
206	Matt Roberts Royal Porthcawl, Wales	68	71	67
207	Archie Davies Carlisle, Wales	69	67	71
207	Stuart Grehan Co.Louth, Ireland	66	69	72
209	Greg Holmes Royal Birkdale, England	67	69	73
210	Keith Egan Carton House, Ireland	70	70	70
210	David Howard Fota island, Ireland	70	68	72
210	Pietro Guido Fenoglio Golf Torino La Mandria, Italy	68	73	69
210	Matthew McClean Malone, Ireland	64	70	76
211	Jordan Boles Charleville, Ireland	71	69	71
211	Alexander Brand Golf Club Bern, Switzerland	69	73	69
211	Ben Willis Hunstanton, England	69	71	71
212	Eugenio Bernardi Margara Golf Club, Italy	74	67	71
212	Lewis Gowdy Bangor golf club, Ireland	72	65	75
212	Lauri Rosendahl Nokia River Golf, Finland	71	71	70
212	Louis Goodman Co. Louth, Ireland	70	71	71
213	Gregor Tait Aldeburgh GC, Scotland	75	66	72
213	Tom Matthews Oswestry, Wales	72	71	70
213	Jake Whelan Grange, Ireland	72	69	72
213	Oliver Hausammann Limpachtal, Switzerland	71	71	71
213	Caolan Rafferty Dundalk, Ireland	69	73	71
214	Joe O'Neill Berehaven, Ireland	73	71	70
214	James Wood Bathgate Golf Club, Scotland	70	71	73
215	Adam Fahey Portmarnock, Ireland	75	72	68
215	Frederik Dortmans Sunningdale Golf Club, England	71	71	73
215	Sean David Pyle and Kenfig, Wales	70	72	73
215	James Walsh Douglas Golf Club, Ireland	68	76	71
215	Thomas Higgins Roscommon, Ireland	68	76	71
216	Darragh Flynn Carton House, Ireland	75	73	68
216	Conor Hickey Dooks, Ireland	73	72	71
216	Ryan Griffin Ballybofey & Stranorlar, Ireland	73	71	72
216	Dwayne Mallon Dungannon, Ireland	73	70	73
216	Mark Cadden Roganstown Golf Club, Ireland	72	73	71
216	Dylan Keating Seapoint Golf Club, Ireland	71	70	75
216	Colm Campbell Warrenpoint, Ireland	67	71	78
217	Timothy Chan Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China	74	71	72
217	David Reddan Castleknock, Ireland	73	74	70
217	Brian Lane Muskerry, Ireland	72	71	74
217	TJ Ford County Sligo Golf Club, Ireland	69	77	71
217	Charlie McDonnell Concra Wood, Ireland	65	77	75
218	George Holland Southport and Ainsdale, England	75	71	72
218	Dominic McGlinchey The Renaissance Club, Scotland	71	74	73
218	Ryan Williams Bargoed Golf Club, Wales	71	73	74
218	Richard Knightly Royal Dublin, Ireland	71	71	76
218	Paul Coughlan Castleknock, Ireland	70	77	71
218	Seán McLoughlin County Sligo, Ireland	69	77	72
218	Andrew Gavin Black Bush Golf Club, Ireland	69	74	75
219	Quentin Carew Castleknock, Ireland	79	72	68
219	Shane McGlynn Sutton, Ireland	78	75	66
219	Bryn Thomas Cardigan Golf club, Wales	78	69	72
219	James Temple Portmarnock, Ireland	76	72	71
219	Eoin O'Carroll St Annes Golf Club, Ireland	75	70	74
219	Aodhagan Brady Co Sligo, Ireland	73	68	78
219	Conor Stapleton Westport, Ireland	71	76	72
219	David Kitt Athenry, Ireland	71	73	75
219	Allan Kiernan Forrest Little, Ireland	71	69	79
219	Sam Mukherjee Gullane, Scotland	70	77	72
219	Caelan Coleman Galway Bay Golf Resort, Ireland	66	73	80
Missed the cut
220	Jack McDonnell The Royal Dublin Golf Club, Ireland	76	73	71
220	Ciaran Gregan Forrest Little, Ireland	76	71	73
221	Ross McCormack Palmerstown House Estate, Ireland	77	75	69
221	Shane McDermott PGA National Slieve Russell, Ireland	74	75	72
221	Conor Clarke Balmoral, Ireland	74	74	73
221	Jamie Roberts London Golf Club, England	72	71	78
221	Lorcan O'Connor Edmondstown Golf Club, Ireland	71	76	74
221	David Shiel Enniscrone, Ireland	68	75	78
222	Charlie Smyth PGA National Slieve Russell, Ireland	77	73	72
222	Thomas Abom Edmondstown, Ireland	75	78	69
222	Dylan Holmes Greystones, Ireland	75	75	72
222	James Fox Portmarnock, Ireland	75	72	75
222	Robert Abernethy Dun Laoghaire, Ireland	75	72	75
222	Luke Kelly Dunfanaghy, Ireland	72	75	75
222	Alan Fahy Dun Laoghaire, Ireland	71	72	79
222	Timothy Jordan Dungannon, Ireland	70	75	77
222	Rían Carvill Warrenpoint, Ireland	68	77	77
223	Conor McCarthy Headfort, Ireland	78	72	73
223	Harry Watkins Royal Porthcawl, Wales	76	75	72
223	Callum Davis Bray, Ireland	74	74	75
224	Isaac Oliver Glasson Golf Club, Ireland	76	76	72
224	John William Burke Ballyhaunis, Ireland	75	77	72
224	Yves Koller Golf and Country Club Zürich, Switzerland	75	74	75
224	Michael Roche Harpenden Common Golf Club, England	74	77	73
224	Michael Green Greenore, Ireland	73	73	78
224	Kevin LeBlanc The Island, Ireland	72	79	73
224	Kevin Robinson Castlewarden Golf Club, Ireland	72	76	76
224	Neil patterson Baltinglass, Ireland	72	74	78
225	Alex Timms Blairgowrie, England	77	73	75
225	Patrick Curran Edmondstown Golf Club, Ireland	76	79	70
225	Darren McCormack Corrstown Golf Club, Ireland	76	73	76
225	Shea Dorman Bangor Golf Club, Ireland	76	72	77
225	Noe Kappeler Golfclub Bern, Switzerland	73	78	74
226	Adam Smith Mullingar Golf Club, Ireland	80	71	75
226	Rory Gallagher Galway Bay, Ireland	78	74	74
226	Oscar Murphy Royal Portrush, Ireland	77	71	78
226	John Moran Portmarnock Golf Club, Ireland	75	76	75
226	William Beatty Royal Portrush Golf Club, Ireland	75	75	76
226	Evan Monaghan Tullamore, Ireland	74	73	79
226	Ruairi O'Connor Co Sligo, Ireland	74	73	79
227	Morgan O'Sullivan Ballyneety Golf Club, Ireland	78	76	73
228	Darragh Grehan Carton House, Ireland	77	77	74
228	Robert Galligan Elm Park GC, Ireland	77	77	74
228	Daniel McKenna County Louth Golf Club, Ireland	77	76	75
228	Ian O'Connell Castleknock, Ireland	76	78	74
228	Brian Doran Millicent, Ireland	74	71	83
228	Adrien Conter Grange Aux Ormes, France	73	80	75
228	Eoin Murphy Dundalk Golf Club, Ireland	73	75	80
229	Adam Allahbachani Powerscourt, Ireland	81	76	72
229	Eoin Sullivan Portmarnock, Ireland	79	74	76
229	Simon Walker Roscommon, Ireland	70	78	81
230	Sean Gallagher Mangawhai Golf Club, Ireland	79	75	76
230	Edward Reed Royal Birkdale Golf Club, England	78	75	77
230	Joseph Stevenson Portadown, Ireland	77	80	73
230	Liam Abom Edmondstown, Ireland	72	80	78
231	Sean Reddy Douglas Golf, Ireland	80	79	72
231	Luke O'Neill Connemara Golf Links, Ireland	75	79	77
231	Kieran Morris Rosslare, Ireland	72	82	77
233	Benjamin Doggett County Louth Golf Club, Ireland	82	74	77
233	Joshua Millington The Players Golf Club, England	78	78	77
234	Patrick Martin Carrick-On-Shannon, Ireland	79	80	75
234	Tóla Gormley Austin Golf Association, Ireland	78	81	75
234	Aaron Naughton Hermitage GC, Ireland	78	75	81
234	James Maginn Mourne, Ireland	75	77	82
235	Max Weaver Bury St Edmunds Golf Club, Wales	79	78	78
235	Thomas Beaumont Bangor Golf Club, Ireland	73	78	84
237	Oliver Morris Carrickmines Golf Club, Ireland	76	82	79
240	Jonny Hall Galgorm Castle, Ireland	82	80	78
WD	John Doyle Fota Island, Ireland	69	73	WD
WD	Aaron Marshall Lisburn Golf Club, Ireland	78	75	WD
WD	Harry Gillivan Portmarnock, Ireland	74	WD
WD	Donnacha Cleary Tipperary Golf Club, Ireland	78	WD
WD	Donal O"Reilly Farnham Estate Golf Club, Ireland	80	WD