By Brian Keogh

Rory McIlroy missed the cut as fellow Ulsterman Richard Kilpatrick moved to within a shot of the lead in the Brabazon Trophy at the Forest of Arden.

McIlroy crashed to a three-over par 75 to miss out by three shots, but Kilpatrick carded a sensational four-under par 68 to boost his chances of a Walker Cup call-up.

The 25-year old Banbridge player is alone in second place on three-under par 141, just one stroke adrift of leader David Horsey going into Sunday's final 36 holes.

Walker Cup panellist Horsey posted a two-under par 70 to lead on four-under par 140 with Jamie Moul and Sam Hutsby tied for third on two-under.

Five of the eight Irish competitors made the cut for the top 40 and ties, which fell at six-over par 150.

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell, another Walker Cup hopeful, is eight strokes off the lead on two-over par after a 77.

Portstewart's Paul Cutler (149), Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney (150) and Birr's Stephen Grant (150) also qualified.

But there was disappointment for Simon Ward of County Louth as finished three shots outside the mark alongside McIlroy on nine-over par.

Brabazon Trophy, Forest of Arden (par 72)
After 36 holes
(Selected qualifiers)
140 David Horsey (Styal) 70 70
141 Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) 73 68
142 Jamie Moul (Stoke-By-Nayland) 72 70, Sam Hutsby (Liphook) 71 71
143 James Freeman (Worksop) 76 67, Cedric Scotto (France) 72 71, Rhys Enoch (Truro) 71 72
145 Alexandre Kaleka (France) 76 69, Kenny Le Sager (France) 74 71, Adrien Bernadet (France) 71 74
146 Andrew Johnston (North Middlesex) 74 72, Benjamin Hebert (France) 73 73, Floris De Vries (Netherlands) 73 73, Romain Bechu (France) 71 75
148 Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye) 71 77
149 Paul Cutler (Portstewart) 73 76
150 Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) 79 71, Stephen Grant (Birr) 73 77

(Non qualifiers)
153 Rory McIlroy (Holywood) 78 75, Simon Ward (Co Louth) 76 77
154 Shane Lowry (Esker Hills) 78 76