Graeme Dunlea and Michael McDermott held a two-stroke lead when the weather-delayed second round of the Irish PGA Championship was finally completed at Adare Manor Golf Club on Saturday morning.

The duo carded two under par rounds of 67 to lead the event which finally succumbed to the elements at 6.30pm on Friday with 48 players still to finish round two.

Heavy overnight rain caused a two-hour delay to the start of play on Friday morning and a further half hour delay midway through the afternoon has left tournament officials playing catch-up.

Dunlea and McDermott made the most of the better conditions in the morning and on four under par, they have a two shot lead over Peter Jones (Coollatin) and defending champion Michael McGeady on four under par 134 with the cut falling at nine over par 147

McDermott, who won the pre-tournament pro-am, battled through his front nine, going to the turn in level par before picking up the pace over his closing holes.

“It was a bit of struggle out there. I just sort of rode it out and picked up a couple of birdies at the end,” said the 34-year-old.

Dunlea failed to take full advantage of a decent ball-striking round but was content with his form heading into the weekend.

“I would have taken two under at the start of the day. It was a solid round of golf and I'm in a decent position, another two of those and we will see where that leaves me,” he said.

Defending champion, Michael McGeady, moved into contention with a three under par 66.

“It gets me back into the mix,” said McGeady. “It's really all about trying to find your feet on this course. I played solid today and have been playing solid lately but I putted a bit better. The greens were better this morning than yesterday afternoon and I felt a bit more comfortable on them.”

The round of the day came from 29-year-old Daniel Beattie (Deerpark Hotel), who signed for a brilliant six under par 63 in the afternoon.

“Attitude was the big difference today. I lost it yesterday after I tripled the second and it was tough to get back from that,” said the Whitehead native who is four back on even par.

“I just thought to myself that I was going to come up today and get on with it. I knew it would be tricky today but I hit a lot of good tee shots.”

Overnight leader, Robert Giles (Greenore GC), carded a level par 71 and is three shots off the lead with former winner David Mortimer on one-under.

Irish PGA Championship in association with Down Syndrome Centre, Adare Manor Golf Club (Par 69)

After 36 holes

134 Graeme Dunlea (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 67 67, Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown) 67 67

136 Peter Jones (Coollattin) 67 69, Michael McGeady (Unatt.) 70 66

137 Robert Giles (Greenore) 66 71, David Mortimer (Galway) 70 67

138 Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny) 69 69, Donal Gleeson (Old Conna) 70 68, Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) 69 69, Daniel Beattie (Deer Park Hotel) 75 63

139 James Quinlivan (Mullingar) 72 67, Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) 70 69, John Kelly (St Margaret's Golf & Country Club) 69 70, Brendan McGovern (Headfort) 67 72

140 Hazel Kavanagh (Carr Golf Services) 71 69, David Hughes (Massereene) 73 67, David Higgins (Waterville Golf Links) 72 68, Noel Murray (Massereene) 72 68, Neil O'Briain (Old Conna) 73 67, Shane O'Sullivan (Shannon) 71 69

141 John Murray (Malahide) 69 72, Cian McNamara (Monkstown) 68 73, Chris Moriarty (Open Fairways Ltd) 71 70

142 Barrie Trainor (Cairndhu) 72 70, Seamus Clinton (Letterkenny) 70 72

143 Richard Creamer (Golfquip) 72 71, Raymond Burns (Lisheen Springs) 73 70, Ciaran Molloy (Blackwood Golf Centre) 71 72, David Ruddy (Unatt.) 71 72, Michael Quinlivan (Mike Quinlivan Golf) 68 75, Liam Bowler (Wexford) 72 71, Paul Masterson (Coollattin) 73 70

144 Enda Maguire (Dundalk) 70 74, Mark O'Sullivan (Piltown Driving Range) 75 69, Gary Wardlow (American Golf) 74 70, Colm Moriarty (Glasson Hotel) 75 69, Mark O'Mahony (Titleist National Fitting Centre) 75 69, Glen Robinson (St Helen's Bay Golf Resort) 74 70, Patrick Small (Galway) 71 73, Wayne O'Callaghan (Fernhill Golf & Country Club) 73 71

145 Mark Staunton (Delgany) 71 74, Ian Brennan (Greenore) 75 70, Michael Collins (Mallow Golf Range) 76 69, Jerry Scullion (Kilkeel) 74 71, Brendan Walton (The Island) 78 67

146 Eddie Doyle (Natural Golf School) 74 72, Sean Cotter (Mount Juliet) 74 72

147 Gary Howie (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 75 72, Dara Lernihan (Elm Park) 77 70, John McHenry (McHenry Golf Ltd) 71 76, Gerry Burke (Royal Curragh) 71 76, Daniel Sugrue (Killarney Golf & Fishing Club) 73 74, David Ryan (Cahir Park) 75 72, Patrick Sheehy (Newcastle West) 74 73, David Hayes (Dungarvan) 76 71

CUT

148 Roderick Park (Park Consulting Services) 75 73, Marian Riordan (Ballykisteen Hotel & Golf Resort) 76 72, John Dignam (Slade Valley) 73 75, Derry Kiely (Faithlegg) 73 75, William Noble (County Cavan) 77 71, Padraig Dooley (Drive Golf Performance Ltd) 74 74,

149 Graham Callaghan (Hollywood Lakes) 75 74, Warren Ryan (Unatt.) 73 76, Duncan Purcell (Ballybunion) 73 76, Frank Holly (Charleville) 75 74

150 Stephen McCarthy (Black Bush) 74 76, Gerard Jones (Thurles) 79 71, Lee Harrington (Limerick) 73 77, Kenny Fahey (GUI National Academy) 73 77, Donal McSweeney (Lahinch) 73 77, Kevin Foy (Stepaside Golf Centre) 74 76

151 Thomas Niland (Tuam) 78 73, Martin McTernan (Co. Sligo) 72 79, Mark Whelan (Castlewarden Golf & Country Club) 76 75

152 Mark O'Boyle (The Heath) 72 80, Shane McCabe (Killeen) 79 73, Jamie O'Sullivan (Charleville) 71 81, Ian St. John (Rush) 79 73, Leonard Owens (Royal Dublin) 72 80

153 Colin Clancy (Castle) 78 75, Ted Higgins (Mount Wolseley Golf & Country Club) 74 79

154 Ian Colleran (Killarney Golf & Fishing Club) 73 81, David Foley (Dromoland Castle GC) 78 76

155 Philip Duff (Black Bush) 78 77, Scott Wilson (Co. Louth) 77 78, Conor Russell (Sutton) 79 76,

156 Brendan McDaid (Limerick City Driving Range) 81 75

157 Mark Heinemann (Skellig Bay) 77 80

158 Mark Peat (Bray) 77 81, Peter Hickey (Cork) 81 77, Michael O'Shea (Rathsallagh) 78 80

159 Shane Deegan (Spawell Driving Range) 79 80

160 David Whyte (Frankfield Golf & Driving Range) 75 85

WD Steve Moore (Spawell Driving Range), Ciaran Hegarty (Kilcock), David Allen (Roe Park Hotel & Golf Resort), Ciaran Carroll (Bray), Scott Kirkpatrick (Ardee), Seamus McMonagle (Dunfanaghy), Michael Murphy (Wicklow), Dean Redmond (Heritage Golf & Country Club), David Reilly (Westmanstown), Keith Shannon (Greenore)

DQ Christian Porter (Halpenny), Fintan Lacey (Newlands), David Cully Dunmurry Springs)

RTD Philip Ring (Elmgreen Golf Centre), Zak Rouiller (Beech Park), Corey Doherty (Athlone), Shaun Donnelly (Castle Hume).