Niall Kearney has an eight-shot lead heading into the final round of the LowFuelCard.ie Irish PGA Championship at Dundalk, leaving him on course to join the likes of Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, Des Smyth, Christy O'Connor and Harry Bradshaw with back to back wins. 

The 27-year old Royal Dublin golfer is in prime position to defend the title he won last year at Adare Manor but he's taking nothing for granted. 

Irish Professional Championship — Past winners

“Anything can happen. I'm just going out to play against the golf course, I'm not really playing against the other guys. If someone goes out and shoots 60 or 61, then fair play to them,” said Kearney who signed for a third round 67 that featured six birdies and one bogey.

“I will go out there tomorrow, set my own targets and see what I can achieve myself.”

Play began early on Saturday morning with 52 players returning to the course to complete their second rounds following a three hour fog delay on Friday. The cut eventually fell at six over par with 52 players making it through to the final 36 holes.

In flat calm conditions the third round produced some low scoring with Headfort's Brendan McGovern producing a best of the day 66 that moved him up into a tie for ninth.

Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick grabbed second place on 10 under par with Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) a shot further back on nine under par.

Kilpatrick has improved with every round but is realistic about his chances of overhauling the leader.

“Look, he is going to be very hard to catch the way he is playing. You can't see him not breaking 70,” said Kilpatrick who also carded a 67 that included six birdies and one dropped shot.

“The plan is to put as much pressure on as you can and see what happens. We are all that far behind that you can't really do much more than attack.”

LowFuelCard.ie Irish PGA Championship, Dundalk GC (Par 72)

Detailed scores

AFTER 54 HOLES

198 Niall Kearney Royal Dublin GC 65 66 67

206 Richard Kilpatrick Banbridge GC 70 69 67

207 Colm Moriarty Drive Golf Performance Limited 67 72 68

209 James Quinlivan Mullingar GC 66 75 68, Joe Dillon Headfort GC 74 66 69

210 Simon Thornton Team Ireland 70 71 69, Eamonn Brady Clontarf GC 65 76 69, David Higgins Waterville Golf Links 75 65 70

212 Brendan McGovern Headfort GC 72 74 66, Daniel Beattie Deer Park Hotel Golf & Spa 73 72 67, Robert Giles Greenore GC 73 70 69, Mark Staunton Delgany GC 70 73 69

213 Donal Gleeson Old Conna GC 74 72 67, Damian Mooney Ballyliffin 73 70 70, Seamus McMonagle Dunfanaghy GC 73 69 71, David Ryan Cahir Park GC 73 67 73

214 David Barry Douglas GC 77 70 67, Richard Creamer Arklow GC 71 72 71

215 Graeme Dunlea Monkstown GC 71 75 69, Neil O’Briain Old Conna GC 74 73 68

216 Cian Curley Royal Tara GC 77 69 70, Cian McNamara Monkstown GC 74 71 71, Michael McDermott Pure Golf Leopardstown 73 70 73

217 Kevin McGivern Mannan Castle GC 71 74 72, Noel Murray Massereene GC 74 74 69, Shane Franklin LD Golf Limited 73 75 69, Gerard Hall Edenderry Golf Academy 73 70 74, David Leathem Nevada Bobs Belfast 79 69 69, John Dwyer Ashbourne GC 71 70 76

218 Dermot O’Neill 74 73 71, Glen Robinson 72 77 69

220 Barrie Trainor Cairndhu GC 73 73 74, Daniel Sugrue Killarney Golf & Fishing Club 74 71 75, Liam Bowler Wexford GC 77 72 71, Ciaran Molloy Blackwood Golf Centre 75 74 71, Chris Moriarty Open Fairways Limited 79 71 70

221 Hazel Kavanagh Carr Golf Services 72 75 74, John Dignam Slade Valley GC 73 76 72

222 Conor Deegan Dun Laoghaire GC 77 70 75, Scott Wilson Co. Louth GC 75 73 74, David Mortimer Galway GC 74 75 73, Peter Jones Coollattin GC 72 78 72

223 Mark O’Sullivan Piltown Driving Range 70 76 77, Noel Fox GUI National Academy 73 73 77, Jimmy Bolger Kilkenny GC 73 75 75, Ian Brennan Greenore GC 76 72 75, Rebecca Codd 76 73 74

224 Kevin Foy Stepaside Golf Centre 74 75 75, Paul Masterson Coollattin GC 79 71 74

226 Seamus Clinton Letterkenny GC 75 75 76

227 Bernard Quigley Tullamore GC 79 69 79, Sean Cannon Athenry GC 77 73 77

MISSED THE CUT

151 Brian Doheny Mount Juliet GC 76 75, Padraig Dooley Drive Golf Performance Limited 7 279, John Murray Malahide GC 77 74, Steven Quinlan 75 76, Dara Lernihan Elm Park GC 78 73, David Hughes Massereene GC 77 74, Brian McCormack Galway GC 78 73, Sean Whelan Ballinrobe GC 76 75

152 Ryan Madigan Waterford Castle GC 77 75, Kenny Fahey GUI National Academy 76 76, Michael Kelly Dun Laoghaire GC 77 75, Mark Whelan Castlewarden Golf & Country Club 74 78 

153 Cormac Hennessy 74 79, Adam Dunmore Bundoran GC 78 75, Ciaran Boggan County Meath GC 76 77, Shane McCabe Killeen GC 74 79, Paul Stevenson Portadown GC 76 77 

154 Peter Morgan Elm Park GC 79 75, Shaun Donnelly Castle Hume GC 79 75, Christopher Carvill Belvoir Park GC 82 72, Peter O’Hagan Luttrellstown Castle GC 77 77, Alan Gleeson Castlemartyr Links GC 74 80 

155 Bert Mackay Castlerock GC 77 78, Mark O’Mahony Titleist National Fitting Centre 76 79, Brian Kerley Green Life Golf Centre 77 78, Conor Gorevan Hermitage GC 78 77 

156 Brian Sweeney Sutton GC 82 74, Graham Byrne Palmerstown Stud GC 76 80, Brendan Walton Island GC 81 75 

157 Leslie Walker Dundalk GC 80 77, Stephen McCarthy Black Bush GC 81 76, Brian McCormack Edenderry Golf Academy 78 79

158 Leo Hynes Killiney GC 79 79

159 Gregory Leech, Mark O’Boyle Heath GC 83 76

160 Cormac Power St Helen’s Bay GC 82 78, Leonard Owens Royal Dublin GC 82 78, Jerry Scullion Kilkeel GC 82 78

161 Graham Sweeney Balbriggan GC 86 75, Alan Staunton Hollywood Lakes GC 80 81, Philip McLaughlin Royal Dublin GC 81 80, Phil Collins Galgorm Castle GC 84 77

162 David Walker Foxrock GC 86 78, Victoria Bradshaw 84 78, William Noble County Cavan GC 81 81, Marian Riordan Ballykisteen Hotel & Golf Resort 84 78

163 Conor Russell Sutton GC 81 82 

164 Mark Peat Bray GC 84 80 

WD Nigel Howley Balbriggan GC, Peter Martin Colin Park Golf Academy 

DQ Michael O’Shea Rathsallagh GC, Thomas Johnston Castlerock GC, Michael Stanford Dunmurry GC , Peter Hanna Lurgan GC 

RTD Joe Murray Hollystown GC, Diarmaid Fraser Killarney Golf & Fishing Club