McCormick on top at East of Ireland Championship

Scrabo's Andrew McCormick put a poor start behind him to grab the early lead in the East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth.

The Ulsterman, who has yet to lift a major amateur title, carded a one under par 71 to lead by a stroke in the clubhouse from Elm Park's Niall O'Connor.

A former international, McCormick started on the back nine and bogeyed his first two holes before hitting back straight away with birdies at the 12th and 13th.

Level par to the turn after cancelling out a bogey at the short 15th with a birdie at the 18th, McCormick had a roller-coaster back nine of one under par 35.

After a bogey at the first, he eagled the par five third and sixth but bogeyed the short fifth and seventh holes en route to the only sub par round amongst the morning starters.

The leading 50 players after Sunday's second round will qualify for the final 36 holes on Monday.

East of Ireland Amateur Open, Co Louth (Par 72):

Clubhouse leaders:

71 A McCormick (Scrabo)

72 N O'Connor (Elm Park)

73 D Lernihan (Castle)

74 D O'Donovan (Muskerry), A Pitcher (The Island)

75 P McGrath (Dromoland), M Brett (Portmarnock), R Branigan (Co Louth), D McInerney (Lahinch), C Curley (Newlands), J McGinn (L & B), J Waldron (Muskerry), G Reid (Spa)

76 G Bohill (Co Louth), J Lyons (Galway), A Dunbar (Rathmore), R Cannon (Laytown & Battystown), A O'Callaghan (Douglas), D Beattie (Whitehead), R Forsythe (Ballyclare), R McCarthy (The Island), N O'Briain (Royal Dublin)

77 G O'Flaherty (Cork), N Goulding (Portmarnock), G Dunne (Seapoint), G McGrane (Royal Dublin), K Bornemann (Douglas), T Cleary (Cork), C O'Malley (Westport), P O'Hanlon (Curragh), T Kelly (Balcarrick), M Lavelle (K Club)

78 M O'Rourke (Royal Tara), D McNamara (Connemara), S O'Flaherty (Hermitage), G Kelly (Co Louth), J Mulready (Castle), D O'Brien (L & B), M Rowe (Glasson), E Arthurs (Forrest Little)

79 S Smyth (County Louth), H Diamond (Holywood), D Lewis (Woodbrook), G O'Connor (Malahide), D Leathem (Lisburn), R Dunne (Charlesland/UCD), D Kelleher (Portmarnock), D Lally (Tuam)

80 J Gannon (Seapoint), D Ruddy (Thurles), S Loftus (Ennis), F Rafferty (Dungannon), J Moore (Laytown & Bettystown), S Dwyer (Newlands), B O'Connor (Hermitage), N Boyd (Donaghadee)

81 J Somers (Laytown & Bettystown), J Monaghan (The Island), J Fox (Portmarnock)

82 A McAuley (Ardee), J Foran (Thurles), R Durnin (Laytown & Bettystown), V Smyth (Co Louth), A Dowling (Hermitage), T Conran (Portadown), K Crowley (Lee Valley), R Weldon (Luttrellstown), J Hughes (Douglas)

83 G McAuley (Dunmurry), D Cantrell (Woodbrook)

84 B Campbell (Malone), B Ronan (Co Louth)

85 N Beirth (Co Louth), G Donaghy (Island Country Club, Fla.) 86 M Reck (Lucan) 87 L Butler (West Waterford) 89 R Symington (Lisburn)

NR: D Callaghan (Balbriggan).