Maguire twins miss the cut

Teenage twins Leona and Lisa Maguire missed the cut in the €500,000 AIB Ladies Irish Open as big-hitting Swede Sophie Gustafson moved into contention for an incredible sixth victory on Irish soil at Portmarnock Links.

Leona outscored playing partner and four-time major winner Laura Davies (79) by a shot for the second day in a row but needing pars at the last two holes to make the projected five over par cut, she bogeyed the 17th and double bogeyed the 18th for a 78 that left her on eight over par.

Twin sister Lisa had nothing left in the tank as she finished on 10 over par after a second round 78 - her 10th round of golf in the past 10 days following her Irish Amateur Open strokeplay win last week.

The 14-year old Slieve Russell starlet birdied her first two holes but one more birdie was not enough to cancel out three bogeys and three double bogeys on another scoring day at the north Dublin links.

Six-time Solheim Cup star Gustafson fired seven birdies in a superb five under par 67 to move into a share of second place with England's Melissa Reid (70) and within a stroke of clubhouse leader Diana Luna (68-69) of Italy on six-under par.

Winner of the Irish Open title at Ballyliffin in 1998, Faithlegg in 2000 and Killarney in 2003, she also claimed the 2003 BT Ladies Open at Warrenpoint and the World Cup of Golf with Carin Koch at Adare Manor in 2000.

“I love it here,” Gustafson said. “I’ve already won five times in Ireland and it would be wonderful to win for a sixth time."

On a day when Irish amateur Danielle McVeigh and English amateur Jodi Ewart had holes in one at the 164-yard third, Beaverstown’s Martin Gillen posted a second round 76 to lead the Irish challenge in the clubhouse on one-over par.

Carlow rookie Tara Delaney posted a 76 to finish on two over for the tournament but the Irish challenge was in danger of being reduced from 10 to five with Hazel Kavanagh and Rebecca Coakley sitting nervously on the projected five over par cut mark after matching 74s.

While 21-year old McVeigh was one under par for the tournament with three holes to play, Tipperary’s Marian Riordan and Cork's Claire Coughlan-Ryan shot 77s to finish on eight and ten over respectively with amateur Stephanie Meadow from Royal Portrush bowing out on 16 over after an 83.