Niall Kearney and Michael McGeady lead the Irish PGA Championship on five under par heading into Sunday's final 18 holes.

Royal Dublin's Kearney carded a best of the day six under par 63 while defending champion McGeady, signed for a second successive 66 at Adare Manor in Co Limerick.

Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown)  is a shot further back on four under with Peter Jones (Coollattin GC) three shots off the lead on two under.

“I played pretty solidly again today, although I need to improve my scoring on the par fives,” said the 36-year-old McGeady, who is bidding to become the first player to retain the title since Pádraig Harrington won three in a row in 2009 to take his tally to six.

“The game is good. I'm getting into position off the tee and I'm giving myself chances.”

McGeady went to the turn in one under 34 with birdies at two and eight offset by a dropped shot at the ninth. He came home in two under 32 with two birdies at 11 and 13 mixed in with seven pars.

Kearney began the day at one-over par but surged through the field with birdies at the third, fourth, fifth and eighth to reach the turn in four under 31.

He dropped a shot at the 10th, but hit back immediately with another hat-trick of birdies at the 11th, 12th and 13th. A dropped shot at 14 slowed him down momentarily but he collected one further birdie at the par four 16th to come home in 32.

“It could have been better, I missed a lot of putts coming in,” said the 26-year-old.

“I hit a lot of iron shots in close today.  It's tough to make 15-20 footers out there so I just got myself into five, six feet and took a few of those chances.

“The aim before the day was to climb up the leader board to give myself a chance on Sunday but I was very relaxed going out and I didn't put myself under any pressure.

“I'll take the same kind of game plan into tomorrow, try and hit 15,16 greens and take my chances with the putter.”

IRISH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP (€29,450) IN ASSOCIATION WITH DOWN SYNDROME CENTRE, ADARE MANOR GOLF CLUB (PAR 69)

Live scoring

AFTER 54 HOLES

202 Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) 70 69 63, Michael McGeady (Unatt.) 70 66 66

203 Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown) 67 67 69

205 Peter Jones (Coollattin) 67 69 69

207 Brendan McGovern (Headfort) 67 72 68, Donal Gleeson (Old Conna) 70 68 69, Robert Giles (Greenore) 66 71 70

208 Shane O'Sullivan (Shannon) 71 69 68, James Quinlivan (Mullingar) 72 67 69, David Mortimer (Galway) 70 67 71, Graeme Dunlea (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 67 67 74 

209 Noel Murray (Massereene) 72 68 69, David Higgins (Waterville Golf Links) 72 68 69, John Kelly (St Margaret's Golf & CC) 69 70 70, Daniel Beattie (Deer Park Hotel, Golf & Spa) 75 63 71, Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) 69 69 71

210 Colm Moriarty (Glasson County Hotel & GC) 75 69 66, Barrie Trainor (Cairndhu) 72 70 68, Glen Robinson (St Helen's Bay Golf Resort) 74 70 66, Neil O'Briain (Old Conna) 73 67 70, David Hughes (Massereene) 73 67 70, Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny) 69 69 72

212 Cian McNamara (Monkstown) 68 73 71, Hazel Kavanagh (Carr Golf Services) 71 69 72

213 Chris Moriarty (Open Fairways Ltd) 71 70 72, Mark O'Mahony (Titleist National Fitting Centre) 75 69 69, Mark Staunton (Delgany) 71 74 68

214 Richard Creamer (Golfquip) 72 71 71, Patrick Small (Galway) 71 73 70, John Murray (Malahide) 69 72 73 

215 Paul Masterson (Coollattin) 73 70 72, Enda Maguire (Dundalk) 70 74 71, David Ryan (Cahir Park) 75 72 68

216 Michael Quinlivan (Mike Quinlivan Golf) 68 75 73, Michael Collins (Mallow Golf Range) 76 69 71, Gerry Burke (Royal Curragh) 71 76 69, Daniel Sugrue (Killarney Golf & Fishing Club) 73 74 69

217 Ciaran Molloy (Blackwood Golf Centre) 71 72 74, Liam Bowler (Wexford) 72 71 74, Gary Wardlow (American Golf) 74 70 73, John McHenry (McHenry Golf Ltd) 71 76 70, Patrick Sheehy (Newcastle West) 74 73 70

218 David Ruddy (Unatt.) 71 72 75, Mark O'Sullivan (Piltown Driving Range) 75 69 74, Wayne O'Callaghan (Fernhill Golf & CC) 73 71 74

219 Raymond Burns (Lisheen Springs) 73 70 76, Dara Lernihan (Elm Park) 77 70 72, 

220 Ian Brennan (Greenore) 75 70 75

221 Jerry Scullion (Kilkeel) 74 71 76, Sean Cotter (Mount Juliet) 74 72 75

222 Seamus Clinton (Letterkenny) 70 72 80

223 Eddie Doyle (Natural Golf School) 74 72 77, David Hayes (Dungarvan) 76 71 76

224 Brendan Walton (The Island) 78 67 79, Gary Howie (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 75 72 77.

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).