Thornton leads Irish PGA by one heading into final day
Simon Thornton shot a one-under 69 to take a slim one-stroke lead into the final round of the Brown & Brown Irish PGA Championship at Monkstown Golf Club.
Despite suffering on the greens, the three-time champion leads on five-under-par from Tim Rice, Richard O'Donovan and Sean O'Donoghue while defending champion Niall Kearney is lurking just a shot further back alongside former Walker Cup star Cormac Sharvin.
Mount Wolseley’s O‘Donoghue shot a best of the week 65 to give himself a chance while Colm Moriarty is lurking just four shots adrift after a 69.
Irish PGA Championship, Monkstown GC (Par 70)
Sponsored by Brown & Brown
After 36 holes
1 135 (-5) Simon Thornton (ST Golf) 66-69
T2 136 (-4) Tim Rice (Limerick) 68-68, Richard O'Donovan (Unatt.) 68-68, Sean O'Donoghue (Mount Wolseley) 67-69
T5 137 (-3) Niall Kearney (Eddie Doyle Academy) 69-68, Cormac Sharvin (Elm Park) 68-69
7 139 (-1) Colm Moriarty (Glasson Lakehouse) 69-70
T8 140 (E) Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) 70-70, Paul Eivers (Cahir Park) 70-70
10 141 (+1) Brendan McCarroll (Foyle) 68-73
T11 142 (+2) Steven Quinlan (Newlands) 70-72, Damian Mooney (Lough Erne) 72-70
T13 143 (+3) Michael McDermott (Grange) 71-72, Neil O'Briain (Roganstown) 73-70, Wayne O'Callaghan (O'Callaghan Academy) 73-70
T16 144 (+4) Stuart Bleakley (Knock) 70-74, Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny) 72-72, Daniel Sugrue (Dooks) 72-72
T19 145 (+5) Paul Behan (Black Bush) 74-71, Cian Geraghty (Dundalk) 71-74, Keith Shannon (Cloverhill) 72-73
T22 146 (+6) Tara Delaney (Unatt.) 76-70, David Higgins (Waterville) 73-73, Brian McElhinney (North West) 76-70, Conor Coyne (Cobh) 70-76, Joe Dillon (Joe The Pro Academy) 73-73
T27 147 (+7) David Mernagh (Enniscorthy) 73-74, Glen Robinson (Craddockstown) 69-78, Colin O'Gorman (Co Tipperary) 73-74
T30 148 (+8) John McDermott (Grange) 76-72, Eddie Tracey (Ballina) 69-79, Nicky Grant (Nicky Grant Golf) 73-75, Chris McDonnell (Killarney) 75-73, Richard Weldon (Black Bush) 77-71, Colin Maguire (Douglas) 74-74, Eric Byrne (EB Golf) 72-76, Noel Murray (Unatt.) 75-73, David Barry (Douglas) 77-71
T39 149 (+9) Cian McNamara (Monkstown) 72-77, Sam Hogan (Fota Island) 77-72, Conor Muir (Bandon) 70-79
T42 150 (+10) Conor Ryan (McGuirks) 74-76, Michael McGeady (McGeady Golf) 73-77, Brian McCormack (Tullamore) 78-72, James Quinlivan (Mullingar) 76-74, Christian Purcell (Mount Wolseley) 74-76, Adam Dunmore (Bundoran) 77-73
T48 151 (+11) Jake O'Riordan (Old Conna) 73-78, Gary McGrane (Unatt.) 76-75, Marian Riordan (Co Tipperary) 71-80, Brendan McGovern (Headfort) 75-76, Shane Irwin (Monkstown) 79-72, David Ryan (East Cork) 76-75, Andrew Hickey (Galway) 77-74, Robert Giles (AG Tee Golf) 75-76, Sebastien McShane (Adare Manor) 77-74
CUT (+12)
T57 152 (+12) Brian Kerley (Ardee) 74-78, Eddie Doyle (Eddie Doyle Academy) 76-76, Ted Higgins (Rathsallagh) 76-76, Mark Beckett (Adare Manor) 81-71, Ronan Collins (Fota Island) 80-73, Patrick Dowling (Unatt.) 77-76
T61 153 (+13) Eoin O'Brien (Clontarf) 76-77, Patrick Geraghty (Druids Glen) 75-78, Shane Franklin (Portumna) 76-77, Roy Connolly (McCormack Golf) 76-77
T67 154 (+14) Padraig Dooley (Drive Golf) 76-78, Sean Hopkins (Wexford) 77-77, Charlie Flavin (McGuirks Cork) 78-76, Niall McGlynn (Golf Ireland Academy) 79-75, Matthew Dunmore (Bundoran) 76-78
T72 155 (+15) Jack Ryan (Castletroy) 77-78, David Mortimer (Galway) 82-73, John Bolger (St Margaret's) 76-79, Mark Sutton (Royal Dublin) 80-75, Brian Carroll (Castlebar) 79-76, Aaron Cashin (Golf Ireland) 77-78, Shane McCabe (Killeen) 81-74, Damien Scott (Farnham Estate) 80-75
T80 156 (+16) Fionntan Lawlor (Ardee) 82-74, John McQuaid (Rossmore) 81-75, Liam Cully (Malahide) 80-76, Rory Fives (McGuirks HO) 77-79, Ian Halpin (Castle) 80-76, Paul O'Neill (Trump International) 78-78
T86 157 (+17) Keith McDermott (Delgany) 76-81, David Hughes (Massereene) 77-80, Eoin O'Connor (Newpark) 78-79, Cormac Power (McGuirks Wexford) 80-77, Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen) 76-81
T91 158 (+18) Sean McDonagh (Royal Dublin) 75-83, Gavin Young (Ballyneety) 80-78, Paul McLoughlin (McLoughlin Golf) 79-79, Christopher Carvill (Belvoir Park) 83-75, Timmy Broderick (Kinsale) 75-83, David Hayes (Dungarvan) 85-73, Brian O'Connor (Dingle) 77-81
T98 159 (+19) James McVicker (Portadown) 84-75, Shane O'Neill (Malahide) 80-79, Dermot Carroll (Coollattin) 80-79, Joel Funnell (Royal County Down) 77-82, Brian Sweeney (Beaverstown) 79-80
T103 160 (+20) John McClean (Blackwood) 83-77, Peter O'Doherty (Corrstown) 82-78, Fintan Lacey (Donabate) 80-80
T106 161 (+21) Darren McHale (The K Club) 82-79, Sean Leonard (Blainroe) 83-78
108 162 (+22) Peter O'Hagan (Luttrellstown Castle) 81-81
T109 163 (+23) Ciaran Lavery (Holywood) 80-83, Conor Keown (Blainroe) 81-82
T111 164 (+24) Jack Ahearne (Douglas) 88-76, Aaron Crotty (Elm Park) 85-79, Jake Hannaway (Total Golf) 82-82, Mark Shanahan (Adare Manor) 83-81
T115 165 (+25) Mark Collins (Charleville) 84-81, Dylan Burke (Clonmel) 80-85
117 167 (+27) Mark Godwin (Carton House) 86-81
118 169 (+29) Ronan Higgins (Golf Station) 84-85
119 171 (+31) Georgie Pyke (Shannon) 88-83
T120 172 (+32) Keith Carty (Greystones) 91-81, James McGivern (New Forest) 89-83
T122 175 (+35) Tim Kelleher (Bandon) 88-87, Conor Lincoln (Halpenny) 91-84
DID NOT FINISH
WD Robert Brady (Balbriggan), Gerard Broderick (Kinsale), Matthew Butterly (Island), Joseph Byrne (Woodenbridge), Lee Campbell (Royal County Down), Tom Canavan (Glenlo Abbey), John Casey (McGuirks Tralee), Kieran Clancy (Portmarnock), Niamh Cunningham (Unatt.), Donal Gleeson (Old Conna), Anthony Hanlon (Unatt.), Dan Hinds (Castleknock), Jack Kane (SD Golf Academy), Matthew Kempton (Moyola Park), Damien McGrane (Carlow), Shaun O'Connor (McGuirks Blanchardstown), Adam Reilly-Kelly (Rathfarnham), David Rock (Ballykisteen), David Tierney (Galway), Brendan Walton (Jameson Golf Links)
