Campbell in driving seat with super 67

STACKSTOWN'S Mark Campbell produced his best ever round at Baltray to grab the halfway lead in the East of Ireland Amateur championship in Co Louth.

But three-time champion Noel Fox missed the cut on countback as he struggled to a four over par 76.

The guillotine fell at 147 - three over par - which left five players out of the championship including Fox and joint overnight leader Joe Lyons who carded a 79.

Irish international Campbell shot a superb five under par 67 that included six birdies and just one dropped shot for a six-under-par aggregate of 138.

The leader after two rounds last year, the Dubliner crashed to an ugly 87 in the third round and eventually finished 15 shots behind the winner, Michael Sinclair.

But he was delighted with his performance yesterday which gives him a great chances of adding to his South of Ireland triumph in 1999. Despite a bogey at the first, Campbell played superbly to the finish and made birdies at the second, third, fourth and fifth to get to three under. He picked up two more shots at the short 12th and 15th holes but missed a five-footer for birdie at the par-five 18th.

Holywood's Harry Diamond carded a four under par 68 and Co Sligo's Sean McTernan and Edenderry's Gregory Carew fired three under par 69s to lie a shot behind Campbell on five under.

Co Louth's Nigel Beirth, a nephew of Baltray professional Paddy McGuirk and twice a runner up in this event, shot a 68 to finish on four under par at halfway.

"That's as good I have played here," he said after a bogey free round. "I have never shot under 70 in East so I am very pleased with that."

Ulster star Gareth Maybin shot a 69 to finish on three under par alongside European Amateur champion Brian McElhinney who carded a 71 and Irish Close champion Mark O'Sullivan who signed for a level par 72.

Internationals Darren Crowe and Johnny Foster are on two under par with defending champion Sinclair well in the hunt on one under after a level par round yesterday.