Paul Dunne tees off in the third round at Baltray on Monday. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ieA two-shot swing on the par-five 18th left Headfort’s Brian Casey just two strokes adrift of overnight leader Paul Dunne of Greystones with a round to play in the East of Ireland Amateur Open at a sun-splashed Baltray.

As Dunne made a bogey six for a 72 and the 54-hole lead on seven under par, Casey birdied the closing hole for a 70 to go into the final round with his title chances very much intact.

However, Dunne extended his lead to four shots over Casey on nine under through three holes of the final round on a day of light winds and bright sunshine.

Both men bogeyed the opening hole in the third round, eventually going through the turn in one under par.

Dunne then birdied the 10th to extend his lead to five shots on nine under par but bogeyed the 12th and 13th to see him advantage reduced to just one as Casey parred the 12th and birdied the 13th to get to withing two.

A birdie at the 14th saw Dunne move three ahead again and but while he restored his four-shot lead iwth a par to Casey’s bogey at the 17th, that error at the last gave the Headfort man some hope for the afternoon.

Rathmore’s Ben Best (71) and first round leader Dessie Morgan (69) started five behind on two under par with Irish Amateur Open champion Robbie Cannon carding a second successive 68 to get back to level, seven adrift

East of Ireland Amateur Open

After 54 holes

SSS 74 CSS 74

209 P Dunne (Greystones) 69 68 72

211 B Casey (Headfort) 72 69 70

214 B Best (Rathmore) 71 72 71, D Morgan (Mullingar) 68 77 69

216 R Cannon (Balbriggan) 80 68 68

217 S O’Connor (Luttrellstown Castle) 71 72 74, S Grehan (Tullamore) 71 71 75

218 S Ward (Co. Louth) 71 73 74

219 S Carter (Stackstown) 73 72 74, T McLarnon (Massereene) 71 76 72, S Walsh (Portmarnock) 71 75 73, P McBride (The Island) 70 75 74

220 H Diamond (Belvoir Park) 77 72 71, G Bohill (Co. Louth) 75 71 74, S Healy (Claremorris) 72 72 76, E Smith (Ardee) 72 72 76

221 G McDermott (Co. Sligo) 75 68 78, P Murray (Limerick) 73 74 74

222 C O’Rourke (Naas) 80 70 72, J Galbraith (Whitehead) 76 73 73, J Greene (Portmarnock) 75 75 72, D Carey (Carton House) 75 72 75, B Anderson (The Royal Dublin) 74 75 73, J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) 74 73 75, G Collins (Rosslare) 73 72 77, J Hume (Rathsallagh) 71 77 74, G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 71 75 76

223 C Melvin (Corrstown) 76 73 74

224 P Reavey (Warrenpoint) 80 67 77, S Flanagan (Co. Sligo) 76 72 76, D Byrne (Greystones) 76 70 78

225 M McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 78 72 75, D Holland (Castle) 78 72 75, S McGlynn (Carton House) 77 73 75, J Walsh (Castle) 73 75 77, M Mullen (Wexford) 72 76 77, K Lynch (Skibbereen) 72 76 77, K Quigg (City of Derry) 71 74 80

226 J Hopkins (The Royal Dublin) 76 74 76, I Brennan (Greenore) 76 72 78, S Bryan (Delgany) 75 74 77, A Kearney (Castlerock) 74 74 78, I O’ Flynn (Cork) 72 76 78

227 M Sinclair (Knock) 76 72 79

228 K Purcell (Dun Laoghaire) 77 73 78, M Brett (Portmarnock) 76 74 78, S Moran (Carton House) 76 73 79

230 A Carrick (Douglas Park Golf Club) 77 73 80, J Yates (Naas) 76 74 80

232 N Foley (The Island) 74 73 85

233 J Fox (Portmarnock) 74 75 84

Brian Keogh