Cathal Butler and James Sugrue will tee it up this morning in the matchplay stage of the AIG Irish Close in Galway.  Butler carded two rounds of 73 to get through in the middle of the qualifiers (top 64), and James Sugrue battled tonsillitis to shoot a great 72 yesterday to finish one shot behind Bulter on +7.  Mark Healy and Kieran Lynch were unlucky, they both missed to cut by one shot.  John Hickey recovered from a disastrous opening day to shoot a one under par 69 on the second day, but that wasn’t enough to get him into the top 64.  There was also disappointment for Shane Kenneally, Sean Desmond, Conor Dowling and Darragh O’Connor but all will have gained valuable experience at the elite level of Irish amateur golf.  The leading qualifier was Peter Kerr from Royal Portrush after he shot two rounds of 69.

The matchplay commences this morning, Butler faces West of Ireland and Munster Strokeply winner Barry Anderson.  Sugrue will be up against James Fox from Portmarnock.

Stroke Play Qualifying Results

138 P Kerr (Royal Portrush), 69, 69; D Brady (Co. Sligo), 67, 71
139 C Rafferty (Dundalk), 71, 68
140 L Nolan (Galway), 71, 69; S Flanagan (Co. Sligo), 71, 69; J Walsh (Castle), 70, 70; A Hill (Athenry), 69, 71
141 D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown), 72, 69; C Campbell (Warrenpoint), 70, 71; D Kitt (Athenry), 68, 73; S Mc Dermott (Co. Cavan), 67, 74; P Coughlan (Castleknock), 66, 75
142 M Burke (Galway), 75, 67; R Mullarney (Galway), 73, 69; A Ryan (Thurles), 72, 70; B Shally (Dromoland), 72, 70; N Hearns (Mountrath), 71, 71; J Fox (Portmarnock), 71, 71; T Ford (County Sligo), 69, 73
143 R Dawson (Tramore), 73, 70; R Moran  (Castle), 72, 71; L Power (Galway), 71, 72; W Small (Tandragee), 70, 73
144 J Hood (Galgorm Castle), 73, 71; M O’Farrell (Galway), 71, 73; B Anderson (The Royal Dublin), 71, 73; S Cullen (Slieve Russell), 70, 74; M Grehan (Tullamore), 70, 74
145 E McCormack (Galway Bay), 75, 70; J Yates (Naas), 72, 73; R McKinstry (Cairndhu), 71, 74; C Feeney (Co. Sligo), 70, 75
146 R Brazill (Naas), 75, 71; C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire), 74, 72; A Hickey (Ballyhaunis), 74, 72; O Crooks (Bushfoot), 73, 73; T McLarnon (Massereene), 73, 73; S Healy (The Royal Dublin), 73, 73; C Butler (Kinsale), 73, 73; H Foley (The Royal Dublin), 72, 74; J Fletcher (Warrenpoint), 72, 74; T O’Connor (Athlone), 72, 74; M Norton (Belvoir Park), 72, 74; R Cannon (Balbriggan), 71, 75
147 A Comerford (Galway), 75, 72; A Gleeson  (Castle), 75, 72; J Sugrue (Mallow), 75, 72; J Whelan (Newlands), 74, 73; R Pierse (Grange), 73, 74; H Gillivan (Westport), 73, 74; B Timlin (Galway), 72, 75; J McVicker (Knock), 72, 75; J Knipe (Royal Portrush), 71, 76; J Lyons (Galway), 70, 77; R Knightly (The Royal Dublin), 69, 78; T Plunkett (Crover House), 69, 78
148 K McCarron (North West), 74, 74; P Brennan (Belvoir Park), 73, 75; L Grehan (Mullingar), 72, 76; M Ryan (New Ross), 72, 76; C Raymond (Newlands), 72, 76; A McDaid (Palmerstown Stud), 71, 77; T Cleary (Woodstock), 70, 78; M Shiel (Galway Bay), 70, 78

Missed Cut

149 C Nolan (Galway), 76, 73; K Lynch (Skibbereen), 76, 73; M Healy (Kinsale), 76, 73; J Mc Donnell (Forrest Little), 76, 73; G Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick), 74, 75; R O’Connor (Co. Sligo), 72, 77; C Hughes (Galway), 72, 77; R Black (Hilton Templepatrick), 72, 77
150 A Wilson (Portmarnock), 78, 72; E Smith (Laytown & Bettystown), 75, 75; G Mann (Tullamore), 75, 75; C Martin (Kilkenny), 74, 76; D Glynn (Galway Bay), 74, 76; J Maginn (Mourne), 73, 77; J Doherty (Ballina), 73, 77; J Brady (Rosslare), 72, 78; W Russell (Clandeboye), 72, 78; E Farrell (Ardee), 71, 79
151 M McKenna (Dun Laoghaire), 76, 75; S McGlynn (Portmarnock), 76, 75; R O’Doherty (Enniscrone), 75, 76; E Griffin (Waterford), 74, 77; C Denvir (Elm Park), 74, 77; E Murphy (Dundalk), 73, 78; S Brady (Galway), 73, 78; J Tuohy (Galway Bay), 71, 80
152 L O’Neill (Connemara), 81, 71; M Power (Kilkenny), 80, 72; S Kenneally (Kinsale), 75, 77; M McKinstry (Cairndhu), 75, 77; J Blake (The Island), 74, 78
153 J Hickey (Cork), 84, 69; P Carey (Nenagh), 78, 75; D Coyle (Portmarnock), 72, 81; J McCarthy (Stackstown), 69, 84
154 R Tighe (Elm Park), 78, 76; R Dutton (Tandragee), 77, 77
155 C Waters (Lahinch), 81, 74; R Browne (Castle), 79, 76; E Collins (Laytown & Bettystown), 78, 77; D McAleenon (Edenmore), 77, 78; T Collins (Dun Laoghaire), 75, 80; C Ryan (Dun Laoghaire), 73, 82
156 J McKenna (St Patricks), 77, 79; A Gaynor (Co. Sligo), 77, 79; T Mulligan (Laytown & Bettystown), 77, 79; G Smyth (Clonmel), 76, 80
157 S Doyle (Athlone), 81, 76; S Desmond (Monkstown), 78, 79; T Probst (Strandhill), 77, 80; J Quinn (The Island), 77, 80; J Temple (Portmarnock), 72, 85
158 D O’Connor (Fota Island), 79, 79; C Glennon (Glasson), 75, 83
159 C Dowling (Mallow), 83, 76; M Murphy (Clandeboye ), 79, 80; J Mc Quaid (Rossmore), 78, 81
161 A Moore (Adare Manor), 80, 81; D Smith  (Castle), 80, 81; T Smyth (Castle), 75, 86
162 C Kelly (Fort Lauderdale country club), 82, 80
163 A Mulholland (Castlerock), 78, 85
166 C Henry (Strandhill), 83, 83
168 N Carroll (Athlone), 84, 84
WD T Nolan (Galway), 71, WD

MATCH PLAY DRAW Round 1 – Last 64

0700 at 8 minute intervals

Kerr v Shiel; Feeney v Brazill; Shally v Pierse; Hearns v Whelan; Foy v McCarron; O’Farrell v Foley; Campbell v Plunkett; Hood v Fletcher; Nolan v Raymond; McCormack v Crooks; Burke v McVicker; Dawson v Comerford; Flanagan v Ryan;  M Grehan v McLarnon; Coughlan v Knipe; Moran v Cannon; Brady v Cleary; McKinstry v Woodroofe; Ryan v Gillivan; Fox v Sugrue; Hill v Brennan; Anderson v Butler; Kitt v Knightly; Small v O’Connor; Rafferty v McDaid; Yates v Hickey; Mullarney v Timlin; Ford v Gleeson; Walsh v L Grehan; Cullen v Healy; McDermott v Lyons; Power (Liam) v Norton