O' Malley leads at Fota Island.

Peter O’Malley leads the Murphy’s Irish Open at the halfway stage after a second round 67 at Fota Island took him to nine under par 133, one clear of the chasing pack that includes the defending champion Colin Montgomerie.

The Australian picked up five birdies with just the one dropped shot on the eighth hole, where his approach came up short and he was unable to get up and down, to move ahead of Alex Cejka, Montgomerie and Carl Pettersson as he chases his fourth European Tour title.