Dessie Morgan in full flowDessie Morgan can become the first home winner in the 50-year history of the Mullingar Grant Thornton Scratch Trophy after a sensational second round 67 gave him a share of the lead ahead of today’s 36-hole finale.

The local hero fired seven birdies in a hot second round, finishing with four birdies in his last five holes to join former South of Ireland champion Stephen Walsh of Portmarnock at the top of the leaderboard on four under par.

“We’ve been in this game long enought not to be thinking too much,” the 31-year old said of a potential victory. “I was second to Shane Lowry in 2008 but we’ll just go out and see what happens.

“We all played nicely in threeball today and I got it going on the back nine, which was nice. I got up and down a few times to keep the momentum going and holed a few putts coming in.”

After opening with a 73, Morgan’s title chances looked slim when he bogeyed the par-three second. But birdied the third, fourth and seventh to go out in 33.

While he dropped another shot at the short 12th, he finished brilliantly with birdies at the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th before lipping out with another birdie chance at the par-five 18th.

“I lipped out from six feet on the last but I chipped in on the 17th, so it evens itself out,” Morgan said.

Baltinglass native Walsh, 22, had four birdies and three bogeys as he added a 71 to his opening 69 to set the pace.

But the leaders are just two clear of Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan and Castlemartyr’s Mark Shanahan with defending champion Nicky Grant lurking just three strokes off the pace on one-under.

British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar, who tees it up in the St Andrews Trophy at Portmarnock next week, pulled out of the event, no doubt feeling the effects of a hectic summer schedule.

Mullingar Grant Thornton Scratch Trophy, Mullingar GC (Par 72)

After 36 holes:

140 D Morgan (Mullingar) 73 67, S Walsh (Portmarnock) 69 71

142 S Grehan (Tullamore) 73 69, M Shanahan (Castlemartyr) 70 72

143 D Holland (Castle) 74 69, C Glynn (Carton House) 72 71, A Kearney (Castlerock) 72 71, N Grant (Knock) 71 72, B Casey (Headfort) 68 75

144 T O’Connor (Athlone) 72 72, G Lawlor (Newbridge) 70 74

145 A Hogan (Newlands) 73 72, J Lyons (Birr) 72 73, T McLarnon (Masserene) 72 73, A Purdy (Ballyclare) 70 75

146 S Healy (Claremorris) 79 67, D McElroy (Ballymena) 75 71, L Ashby (Killerig) 75 71, J Fox (Portmarnock) 72 74, C Fairweather (Knock) 71 75

147 E Smith (Ardee) 76 71, G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 75 72, R Bridges (Stackstown) 75 72, C Cunningham (Carton House) 74 73, C Rafferty (Greenore) 73 74, J Greene (Portmarnock) 71 76

148 C Geraghty (L&B) 77 71, M Murphy (Enniscorthy) 75 73, C O’Rourke (Naas) 74 74, A Lowry (Esker Hills) 73 75, M Kane (Whitehead) 72 76, S Ryan (Royal Dublin) 70 78

149 S McGlynn (CartonHse) 77 72, A Duffy (Royal Tara) 77 72, A Doran (Ardee) 76 73, P O’Kane (Moyola Park) 75 74, J Hume (Rathsallagh) 75 74, S Ward (Co Louth) 74 75, P Small (Bangor) 74 75, C Sharvin (Ardglass) 73 76, C Molloy (Ardee) 72 77, L Grehan (Mullingar) 71 78, B Walton (The Island) 70 79

150 J Carvill (Banbridge) 78 72, S Carter (Stackstown/NUIM) 76 74, S Smyth (Co Louth) 75 75, J Gourley (Holywood) 72 78, M McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 72 78

151 R Weldon (Killeen Castle) 75 76, K McDonagh (Athlone) 74 77, D Downie (Sutton) 74 77

Non-qualifiers:

152 D Reidy (Co Sligo) 76 76, G Shaw (Mullingar) 76 76, L Hutchinson (Royal Dublin) 75 77, J Rothwell (Curragh) 74 78

153 C McGrogan (Newbridge) 79 74, R Burke (Castle) 79 74, D Lally (Mullingar) 77 76, A Grant (Dundalk) 76 77, B McGarry (Birr) 75 78

154 M Kelly (Mullingar) 77 77, S Hogan (Nenagh) 75 79

155 E Farrell (Ardee) 78 77, M Boucher (Carton Hse) 77 78, J McGuinness (New Forest) 77 78, J Rackard (Enniscorthy) 75 80, G McGrane (Royal Dublin) 74 81, J Conroy (Bray) 74 81

156 S Egan (Castle Bearna) 75 81

157 T Jordan (Dungannon) 78 79

158 C Tormey (Mullingar) 77 81

159 C Rentes (Highfield) 82 77, R Symmington (Lisburn) 77 82

160 P Burke (Mullingar) 85 75, M Richards (Carton House) 82 78, I Brennan (Greenore) 81 79, G Carr (Mullingar) 80 80, R Knightly (Royal Dublin) 79 81

NR G Walsh (Mount Juliet) 80 NR, L McMillan (Blessington Lakes) 86 NR, D O’Connor (Athlone) 89 NR

WTD G O’Connor (Malahide) 79 WTD

Today’s tee times

1st Tee:

1 7.00 12.00 Alan Lowry (Esker Hills)  Conor O’Rourke (Naas) Mark Murphy (Enniscorthy)

2 7.10 12.10 Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) John Greene (Portmarnock) Caolan Rafferty (Greenore)

3 7.20 12.20 Colin Cunningham (Carton House) Richard Bridges (Stackstown) Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock)

4 7.30 12.30 Eugene Smith (Ardee) Colin Fairweather (Knock) James Fox (Portmarnock)

5 7.40 12.40 Liam Ashby (Killerig) Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) Stephen Healy (Claremorris)

6 7.50 12.50 Ally Purdy (Ballyclare) Tiarnan McLarnon (Masserene) Joe Lyons (Birr)

7 8.00 13.00 Andrew Hogan (Newlands)  Gerard Lawlor (Newbridge) Thomas O’Connor (Athlone)

8 8.10 13.10 Brian Casey (Headfort) Nicky Grant (Knock) Aaron Kearney (Castlerock)

9 8.20 13.20 Conor Glynn (Carton House)  Daniel Holland (Castle) Mark Shanahan (Castlemartyr)

10 8.30 13.30 Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock) Des Morgan (Mullingar)

10th Tee:

11 7.00 12.00 Derek Downie (Sutton) Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) Richard Weldon (Killeen Castle)

12 7.10 12.10 Matt McAlpin (Royal Portrush) Johnny Gourley (Holywood) Shane Smyth (Co Louth)

13 7.20 12.20 Shaun Carter (S’stown/NUIM) Jim Carvill (Banbridge) Brendan Walton (Malahide)

14 7.30 12.30 Liam Grehan (Mullingar) Ciaran Molloy (Ardee) Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass)

15 7.40 12.40 Patrick Small (Bangor) Simon Ward (Co Louth) Jack Hume (Rathsallagh)

16 7.50 12.50 Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) Adam Doran (Ardee) Alan Duffy (Royal Tara)

17 8.00 13.00 Shane McGlynn (Carton House) Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin) Matthew Kane (Whitehead)