Simon Ward leads a four-man Irish challenge after day two of The Amateur Championship on the Lancashire coast. The Co Louth golfer produced three birdies on the way home at Formby for a round of 72 and top 20 finish in the stroke play.

Niall Kearney of Royal Dublin, Moyola Park’s Luke Lennox and Paul Cutler from Portstewart will also contest the weekend’s matchplay after finishing in the top 64.

Sixteen-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero became the youngest-ever leading qualifier when he posted a total of 135, four strokes clear of Sam Hutsby and Nigel Edwards.

Kearney posted a 71 at West Lancashire to add to his 72 at Formby yesterday.

“Once again I hit the ball solidly and was just determined to keep out of trouble so as to make the cut comfortably,” he said afterwards.

Lennox was also on 143 after he carded a two under par 70 at West Lancashire and the impressive Cutler kept alive his hopes with a 146 aggregate after a 76 at Formby.

Westport’s Cathal O’Malley and Seamus Power of West Waterford both improved considerably but still missed the cut by a wide margin, while Paul O’Kane narrowly failed.

Irish qualifiers

142S Ward (Co Louth) 70,72

143N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 72,71, L Lennox 73,70

146P Cutler (Portstewart) 70,76

Irish non-qualifiers

149P O'Kane (Moyola Park) 74,75

150S Power (West Waterford)77,73

152C O'Malley (Westport) 79,73

153D Lernihan (Castle) 73,80, J Fox (Portmarnock) 75,78

157A Dunbar (Rathmore) 74,83

161C Curley (Newlands) 79,82

163A Hogan (Newlands) 83,80

Leader

135Matteo Manassero (Ita) 65 70