Scotland’s Gavin Dear is one shot clear of compatriot Wallace Booth and Knock’s Nicky Grant entering the final round of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Dear, 24, hit a level 72 in idyllic conditions at the Bull Island links to lead on two-over par 218.

A member of the three-man Scotland side that lifted the Eisenhower Trophy in Australia last November, Dear will be wary of the threat posed by Booth, who was also on the winning side in Adelaide.

A brother of Curtis Cup star Carly, 23-year old Booth carded a two-under par 70 to move into a share of second place on three-over 219 alongside 22-year old Ulster interprovincial Grant, who signed for a level par 72.

Just 10 of the 14 man Walker Cup squad members who teed it up on Friday made the cut and Booth and Dear can expect a challenge from England’s Luke Goddard and Dale Whitnell, who are five strokes off the pace on seven-over with the Island’s Robert McCarthy.

James Fox is the next best of the Irish on nine-over after a fine 69 with Shane Lowry a shot further back on ten-over after a 71.

Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney crashed to a disappointing 78 to slip nine strokes off the pace on 11-over.

Irish Amateur Open Championship, Royal Dublin (Par 72)

After 54 holes

218: G Dear (Scotland) 77 69 72

219: N Grant (Knock) 78 69 72, W Booth (Scotland) 76 73 70

223: L Goddard (England) 81 73 69, D Whitnell (England) 78 75 70, R McCarthy (The Island) 77 74 72

225: M Thistleton (England) 79 73 73, J Fox (Portmarnock) 75 81 69

226: R Kellett (Scotland) 80 75 71, S Lowry (Esker Hills) 79 76 71, P Cutler (Portstewart) 78 74 74, P Westermann (Germany) 78 70 78

227: N Kearney (The Royal Dublin) 75 74 78

228: A Dunbar (Rathmore) 80 77 71, S Hutsby (England) 78 75 75, D Lernihan (Castle) 78 75 75, T Hakula (Finland) 77 74 77, P Betty (Scotland) 76 79 73, F Keenan (England) 74 77 77

229: J Ross (Scotland) 80 78 71

230: G McGrane (The Royal Dublin) 82 76 72, S Einhaus (Germany) 82 74 74, H Satama (Finland) 80 76 74, S Hodgson (England) 80 76 74, R Prophet (England) 79 78 73

231: S Borrowman (Scotland) 80 75 76

232: M Glauert (Germany) 82 76 74, A Hogan (Newlands) 80 78 74

233: D Coyle (Co. Louth) 83 74 76, L Lennox (Moyola Park) 82 76 75, M Durcan (Co. Sligo) 80 76 77, B Walton (The Island) 79 78 76, P Purdy (Shandon Park) 79 75 79, A Runcie (Wales) 78 76 79

234: G McDermott (Co. Sligo) 82 75 77, C Curley (Newlands) 81 74 79, J Monaghan (The Island) 78 79 77

236: R Leonard (Banbridge) 77 75 84

237: E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 81 74 82