McIlroy qualifies with ease

Teen idol Rory McIlroy cruised into the matchplay stages of the Radisson SAS West of Ireland Amateur Open championship at Rosses Point.

But the day was marred by the disqualification of 19-year-old Shane Lowry from Esker Hills, who looked certain to lead the qualifiers when he signed for a five under par 66 late in the day.

The Clara native, who was a beaten semi-finalist in last season’s British Boys championship, posted a two round total of 139.

But his joy turned to tears in the space of minutes when he discovered that he had signed for an eagle three instead of a birdie four at the par-five fifth.

A son of Offaly footballing great Brendan Lowry, the youngster only realised his mistake when he was going through a photocopy of his signed scorecard with reporters in the press room after his round.

“I didn’t have a three there, I two putted for a four,” he said, paling visibly. “I’d better go tell them.”

He then promptly headed for the scorer’s caravan where he was disqualified for a breach of Rule 6-6b - Wrong Score for Hole.

Defending champion McIlroy 16, double bogeyed the 17th as he carded a second successive level par 71 to finish on 142.

But that left him two strokes adrift of leading qualifier Paul O'Hanlon of the Curragh, who fired an eagle, four birdies and four bogeys in a two under par 69 to lead the way on two under par 140.

Youths international O'Hanlon, 20, edged out overnight leader David Horsey (73) of England for the leading qualifier's silver medal with Moyola Park's Randal Evans (70) and Chris Hughes of Royal Portrush (73) as shot further back on one under.

The cut fell at six over par 148 with 11 of the 15 players on that mark failing to make the last 64.

The unlucky 11 included Rory Leonard of Banbridge (72) and Alastair McKinley of Shandon Park (74).

Recently crowned Munster Youths champion, Seamus Power of West Waterford, made it with a shot to spare when he followed his opening 78 with a two under par 69 that contained five birdies and three bogeys.

West of Ireland Championship

Radisson SAS sponsored West of Ireland of Ireland Amateur Championship, Co Sligo GC (Par 71)

Qualifiers

140 P O’Hanlon (Curragh) 71 69; D Horsey (Styal, UK) 67 73;

141 R Evans (Moyola Park) 71 70; C Hughes (Royal Portrush) 68 73;

142 E O’Sullivan (The Island) 74 68; M Collins (Sutton) 72 70; K McCarthy (Kinsale) 71 71; R McIlroy (Holywood) 71 71; P Murray (Limerick) 71 71; G McDermott (Co Sligo) 71 71; W McCulley (Donaghadee) 71 71; E Kennedy (Strabane) 70 72; H Diamond (Holywood) 70 72; N O’Connor (Elm Park/UCD) 70 72;

143 J Turner (Royal Portrush) 73 70; R Cannon (Laytown & Bettystown) 72 71; J Lyons (Galway) 72 71; G Bowden (Hermitage) 72 71; D Morgan (Mullingar) 71 72;

144 P Connolly (Clontarf) 74 70; B Cashman (Belvoir Park) 74 70; K Stack (Dungarvan/UCC) 72 72; M Sinclair (Knock) 72 72; N Grant (Knock) 71 73; D Finn (Mallow) 72 72; D Crowe (Dunmurry) 71 73; D Houlihan (K Club) 70 74; R Boal (Scrabo) 69 75;

145 R Williams (Baltinglass) 76 69; J Neary (Galway) 74 71; A McCormick (Scrabo) 74 71; A Hogan (Newlands) 74 71; M Campbell (Stackstown) 72 73; S Moloney (Castletroy) 72 73; F Rafferty

(Dungannon) 71 74; C Martin (Nenagh) 71 74; R Maher (Nenagh) 69 76;

146 D Downie (Sutton) 78 68; A Harty (West Waterford) 76 70; J Somers (Laytown & Bettystown) 75 71; M Rowe (Athlone) 74 72; P Sheehan (Ballybunion) 74 72; P Errity (Delgany) 74 72; K Bornemann (Douglas) 73 73; P McGrath (Dromoland) 73 73; Ml Horan (Birr) 72 74; S Doherty (Ballyliffin) 72 74; D Boyle (Cruit Island) 73 73;

147 S Power (West Waterford) 78 69; S Keenan (Galway) 77 70; G Managh (Knock) 76 71; C Doran (Banbridge) 75 72; J Harding (City Of Derry) 74 73; D McInerney (Lahinch) 73 74; S Paul (Tandragee) 73 74; K O’Neill (Strandhill) 73 74; A Dowling (Hermitage) 72 75; B McCarroll

(Ballyliffin) 72 75; A Menton (Wisley, UK) 72 75; J Moore (Laytown and Bettystown) 73 74;

148 T O’Neill (Tuam) 78 70; K Kennedy (Co Tipperary) 77 71; D Moran (The Island) 77 71; M Malone (Belvoir Park) 76 72;

Non-qualifiers

148 D Coyne (Tuam) 76 72; D Coyle (C Louth) 76 72; R Leonard (Banbridge) 76 72; E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 75 73; M Lavelle (Belmullet) 75 73; S Ward (Co Louth) 75 73; N Cullen (Beaverstown) 75 73; J McGinn (Laytown & Bettystown) 74 74; A McKinley (Shandon Park) 74 74; K Lovelock (Hindhead, UK) 73 75; K Condren (Greystones) 73 75;

149 A Condren (Greystones) 79 70; D McNeill (Ballybofey/Stranorlar) 77 72; C Curley (Newlands) 77 72; P Sheehy (Limerick) 77 72; K Canty (Douglas) 76 73; J Fox (Portmarnock) 76 73; SJ Miskelly (Knock) 76 73; J Kavanagh (Castletroy) 74 75; R Duggan (Kilkenny) 75 74; D Dunne

(Co Sligo) 74 75; M Shanahan (West Waterford) 74 75; N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 72 77; R McCarthy (The Island) 72 77;

150 A Wynne (Strandhill) 73 77; D Ford (Co Sligo) 78 72; JP Hughes (Douglas) 78 72; E McCormack (Galway) 75 75; D Hunt (Nenagh) 77 73;

151 M McEniff (St Anne’s) 77 74; A Glynn (Porter’s Park, UK) 77 74; D Conway (Mallow) 76 75; S Carter (Mouthrath) 75 76; C Carvill (Belvoir Park) 75 76; D O’Donovan (Muskerry) 75 76; S Loftus (Ennis) 74 77; D Leathem (Lisburn) 74 77; E McAnoy (Knock) 73 78;

152 D Lally (Tuam) 79 73; S Shaw (Lisburn) 78 74; M Poucher (Castle) 76 76; B Reddan (Co Louth) 75 77; D O’Brien (Laytown & Bettystown) 75 77;

153 G Carew (Edenderry) 81 72; T Spence (Clandeboye) 79 74; G Mallon (North West) 76 77; M Brett (Portmarnock) 78 75; S Heavey (Co Sligo) 77 76; H Bock (Ballybunion) 74 79; M Buggy (Castelcomer) 76 77;

154 D Carroll (Grange) 76 78; S Crowe (Dunmurry) 74 80;

155 S O’Flaherty (Hermitage) 82 73; B Walton (The Island/UCD) 79 76; T Cleary (East Clare) 79 76; A Morris (Belvoir Park) 80 75; D Kelleher (Portmarnock) 76 79;

156 B McSweeney (Woodbrook) 84 72; D Scully (Galway) 82 74; M Ryan (Grange) 81 75; S Grant (Birr) 78 78;

157 T Reid (Fulwell, UK) 78 79; R Williams (Woodlands) 79 78; G Hall (Edenderry) 79 78;

158 B O’Connor (Hermitage) 78 80; T McGowan (Strandhill) 80 78; C O’Connor (Athlone/UCD) 77 81;

159 E Saxel (Petersfield, UK); S McConnell (Ballyclare) 83 76;

160 S Dwyer (Newlands) 81 79; W Kelly (Killeen) 81 79;

161 E Hayes (Charleville) 82 79; F Flynn (Laytown & Bettystown) 85 76;

165 P Buckley (Kanturk) 87 78;

167 L Cunningham (Moate) 88 79;

168 A McCauley (Ardee) 83 85;

WD E Haugh (Castletroy) 84 WD.

NR G Mellerick (Fota Island) 74 NR

DQ S Lowry (Esker Hills) 73 DQ