Millicent’s Brian Doran carded a two-under 70 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Mullingar Scratch Trophy.
The Kildare native leads on seven-under-par from Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill (70) and Fota Island’s David Howard (72) after he birdied the 14th, 15th and 16th and followed a bogey at the 17th with his seventh birdie of the day at the 18th.
The recent South of Ireland Championship runner-up got off to a slow start, turning in two-over par before playing the back nine in four-under 33.
Nenagh’s David Reddan sits in fourth place on four-under with Athenry’s Sean O’Connell a shot further back.
Clandeboye’s Ross Latimer shot a best-of-the-morning 67 to climb into a tie for fifth with Royal Dublin’s Jack McDonnell, who shot 69.
Mullingar Scratch Trophy, sponsored by Pinergy and Sherry Fitzgerald, Davitt & Davitt, Mullingar GC (Par 72)
After 54 holes
209 Brian Doran (Millicent) 68 71 70;
211 Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) 71 70 70, David Howard (Fota island) 71 68 72;
212 David Reddan (Nenagh) 71 70 71;
213 Sean O’Connell (Athenry) 68 73 72;
214 Ross Latimer (Clandeboye) 76 71 67, Jack McDonnell (Royal Dublin) 75 70 69;
215 Darren McCormack (Corrstown) 74 70 71;
216 Adam Smith (Mullingar) 73 73 70, Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 71 72 73, Conor Hickey (Dooks 69 71 76;
217 Evan Monaghan (Tullamore) 72 73 72, Robert Walsh (Douglas) 70 75 72, David Kitt (Athenry 71 73 73, Keith Egan (Carton House) 70 73 74, Morgan Cain (Cork) 73 70 74;
218 Peter O’ Keeffe (Douglas) 71 77 70, Gavin Tiernan (Co. Louth) 72 74 72, Cormac Ó Muirithe (Belmullet) 74 72 72, Jordan Boles (Charleville) 75 70 73, Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 73 71 74, Seán McLoughlin (Co. Sligo 71 71 76;
219 Ross McKeever (Castle) 73 74 72, Matthew Grehan (Tullamore) 71 76 72, Rory McConnell (Belvoir Park) 74 73 72;
220 David Marshal (Naas) 78 70 72, Calum Ward (Carton House) 74 73 73, Jason Rackard (Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club) 76 71 73, Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy) 74 73 73, Darragh Flynn (Carton House) 73 73 74, Jake Whelan (Grange) 71 70 79;
221 Conor Stapleton (Connemara) 76 72 73, Dwayne Mallon (Dungannon) 74 73 74, Colm Hughes (Galway) 77 69 75, Jamie Larkin (Naas) 74 72 75;
222 Aaron Marshall (Lisburn) 73 75 74;
223 Ciaran Murphy (Grange) 75 70 78;
224 Conal Keenan (Belvoir Park) 72 76 76;
225 Ross Mc Cormack (Palmerstown House Estate) 73 75 77, Dylan Keating (Seapoint) 76 69 80;
227 Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu) 74 74 79;
229 Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) 70 78;
232 Edward Rowe (Belvoir Park) 71 77 84;
WD Cathal Penney (Athenry) 76 69 WD.