Shaw and Thornton in touch at Glasson

Lurgan's Gareth Shaw and Royal County Down's Simon Thornton kept their victory hopes alive in the Challenge of Ireland at Glasson Golf Hotel near Athlone.

Englishman Thornton hit four under after a 68 to trail Scot Richie Ramsay by four shots on four-under with rookie Gareth Shaw just outside the top-10 on three-under par after a 73.

Glasson's Colm Moriarty is the best of the Irish after a 74 left him three shots behind Ramsay on five-under par.

But former US Amateur champion Ramsay is looking forward to the pressure of leading on the final day for the first time after a level par 72 gave him a one stroke lead 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."

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

208 R Ramsay (Sco) 66 70 72;

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

210 D Drysdale (Sco) 67 74 69;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

221 P Streeter (Eng) 72 73 76; P O'Keeffe (Irl) 72 71 78; J Ruebotham (Eng) 67 74 80;