Local favourite Colm Moriarty slipped three shots behind pace-setter Richie Ramsay of Scotland but believes he still has a chance of winning the €150,000 Challenge of Ireland at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club near Athlone.

“It was a difficult day but I started poorly and was three over par after five and it was always going to be a struggle to shoot a really good round from there,” said Moriarty, who went to the turn in three-over par 39 but came home in 35 with three birdies and two bogeys on his back nine.

“Overall I am reasonably happy because at least I didn’t shoot myself out of it and I am only going to be three shots behind going into the last day. After the start I had I have to say that I am pleased enough with the way I finished.”

Former US Amateur champion Ramsay hit a level par 72 to lead by a shot on eight-under par from Sweden’s Peter Gustafsson (66) and Englishmen Marcus Higley (66) and Richard Bland (72).

“The tournament isn’t over but I’ll always look back on this day as the first time that I’ve been leader after the third day,” Ramsay said. “I love playing under pressure. Everyone spends hours practicing for it. I know that I’ve done it before (at the US Amateur) and I did it today so there’s no reason I can’t go out there and do it tomorrow.”

Royal County Down based Englishman Simon Thornton is the next best of the “home” brigade on four under after a 68 with Lurgan rookie Gareth Shaw just outside the top-10 on three-under par after a 73.

First round leader Michael McDermott struggled to a 75 to slip to tied 16th on two-under with Birr’s Justin Kehoe who birdied two of his last four holes for a level par 72.

Challenge of Ireland, Glasson Golf Hotel & CC (Par 72)

208 R Ramsay (Sco) 66 70 72;

209 P Gustafsson (Swe) 75 68 66, M Higley (Eng) 71 72 66, R Bland (Eng) 68 69 72;

210 D Drysdale (Sco) 67 74 69;

211 J Blixt (Swe) 70 75 66, D Wardrop (Eng) 68 72 71, C Moriarty (Irl) 67 70 74;

212 S Thornton (Irl) 71 73 68, C Del Moral (Esp) 70 71 71;

213 R Rock (Eng) 73 71 69, A Tampion (Aus) 71 71 71, T Milford (Eng) 69 72 72, G Shaw (Nir) 69 71 73, S Jeppesen (Swe) 67 73 73;

214 O David (Fra) 71 73 70, L Gagli (Ita) 72 72 70, D Marmion (Eng) 72 71 71, M Smith (Eng) 70 72 72, J Kehoe (Irl) 71 71 72, M Haastrup (Den) 69 72 73, E Goya (Arg) 65 75 74, A Gee (Eng) 67 73 74, C Lee (Sco) 67 72 75, M McDermott (Irl) 64 75 75;

215 R McEvoy (Eng) 71 73 71, I Garbutt (Eng) 74 70 71, A McArthur (Sco) 72 71 72, M Tullo (Chi) 72 71 72, D Park (Wal) 71 71 73, W Besseling (Ned) 67 74 74;

216 G Davies (Eng) 70 75 71, G Murray (Sco) 71 74 71, R Davies (Wal) 70 75 71, B McCarroll (Irl) 74 71 71; G Lockerbie (Eng) 69 75 72, R De Sousa (Sui) 69 74 73, A Butterfield (Eng) 69 74 73, G Maybin (Nir) 70 73 73, T Cruz (Por) 67 72 77;

217 M Pilkington (Wal) 71 74 72, G Bowden (Irl) 72 73 72, T Dykes (Wal) 70 74 73, S Henderson (Sco) 68 75 74, R Coles (Eng) 68 74 75, D Carter (Eng) 74 68 75, D Higgins (Irl) 66 74 77;

218 M King (Eng) 72 73 73, B Miarka (Ger) 72 73 73, A Willey (Eng) 72 73 73, S Juul (Den) 74 70 74, M Zions (Aus) 70 72 76;

219 J Clément (Sui) 71 74 74, R Steiner (Aut) 72 73 74, P Nilbrink (Nor) 72 73 74, S Davis (Eng) 67 77 75, L James (Eng) 71 73 75, A Rocha (Bra) 70 74 75, R Kakko (Fin) 73 71 75, C Smith (Wal) 72 71 76, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 70 72 77;

220 E Ramsay (Sco) 72 73 75, B Grace (RSA) 71 74 75, D Horsey (Eng) 69 75 76; B Evans (Eng) 71 73 76, K Sullivan (Wal) 72 72 76; A Snobeck (Fra) 69 74 77, A Bernadet (Fra) 69 73 78;

221 P Streeter (Eng) 72 73 76, P O’Keeffe (Irl) 72 71 78, J Ruebotham (Eng) 67 74 80.