Greystones Paul Dunne fired a five under 66 to ignite his European Tour card quest midway through the Second Qualifying Stage at Lumine Golf and Beach Club in Tarragona.

The Open Championship hero is one of 12 Irishmen hoping to capture one of 18 places on offer at each of the four Spanish venues for next week's Final Stage in Girona next weekend and so far only the former UAB man, Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge, The Island's Gavin Moynihan and Headfort's Brian Casey are in position to progress to the Final Stage, which starts next weekend.

Like the rest of the 267 Second Stage hopefuls, Dunne is praying he can come through this week's examination and he took a giant step in the second round, firing six birdies and just one bogey in a 66 that catapulted him 26 places up the leaderboard to tied 13th.

Dunne is inside the magic qualifying number with 36 holes remaining though his Walker Cup team mate Gary Hurley needed two late birdies to card a one under 70 and still slipped 17 places from 14th to 31st 

Alan Dunbar shot a level par 71 at the same venue but crashed 20 places to tied 34th on three under.

It was also a mixed day for the Irish at the other three venues with just four of the other nine entrants breaking par.

At El Saler in Valencia, Selfridge posted a three under 69 to move up to tied fifth on five under as Moynihan fell 12 places to tied 15th after a 73.

Mick McGeady's hopes looked slim now after a 73 left him a long way from qualifying on five over while at Las Colinas in Alicante, Rory McNamara (70) and Richard Kilpatrick (72) are in trouble at tied 46th on one over.

Four Irishmen are in action at Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort in Castellan where Headfort's Brian Casey lies solo third on 11 under after he added a 68 to his opening 65.

The other three have a lot of work to do with Naas amateur and Walker Cup player Jack Hume (70) tied 41st on two under, Jonny Caldwell (75) 46th on one under and amateur Colm Campbell falling 31 places from 13th to 54th on level par.

2015 EUROPEAN TOUR SECOND QUALIFYING STAGE SCHEDULE    

NOVEMBER 6-9

Campo de Golf El Saler, Valencia

• T5 (T17) Chris SELFRIDGE Moyola Park 70 69 (-5)
• T15 (T3) Gavin MOYNIHAN The Island GC 68 73 (-3)
• T60 (T61) Michael McGEADY Northwest GC 76 73 (+5)

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, Alicante

• T46 (T56) Rory MCNAMARA La Cala Resort 73 70 (+1)
• T46 (T42) Richard KILPATRICK Banbridge GC 71 72 (+1)

Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort, Castellón

• 3 (3) Brian CASEY Headfort GC 65 68 (-11)
• T41 (T48) Jack HUME (AM) Naas GC 72 70 (-2)
• T46 (T13) Jonathan CALDWELL Clandeboye GC 68 75 (-1)
• T54 (T13) Colm CAMPBELL JNR (AM) Warrenpoint 68 76 (E)

Lumine Golf & Beach Club, Tarragona

• T13 (T39) Paul DUNNE Hartl Resort, Bad Griesbach 70 66 (-6)
• T31 (T14) Gary HURLEY West Waterford GC 68 70 (-4)
• T34 (T14) Alan DUNBAR Team Ireland 68 71 (-3)