Hume, Hurley and Maria Dunne make quarters at Spanish Amateur
Maria Dunne. Picture: Pat Cashman
Jack Hume and Gary Hurley battled their way into the quarter-finals of the Spanish Amateur Championship at Sherry Golf as Skerries' Maria Dunne also made the last eight in the Spanish International Ladies Amateur in Seville.
As Castletroy's Chloe Ryan fell at the 18th in the first round, losing 1 up to Belgian Diane Bailleaux, Dunne came back from three down after nine holes to Welsh star Chloe Williams to win on the 19th at the Real Club Pineda de Sevilla.
In the afternoon, Dunne faced Kristyna Frydlova of the Czech Republic and won 2 and 1 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Sweden's Linnea Strom at 8.50 local time.
It was also a successful day for the Irish in the Men's championship at Sherry Golf in Jerez.
There was a fratricidal match in the first round with Faithlegg's Dawson making three front nine birdies to go three up at the turn against The Island's Gavin Moynihan.
As expected, Moynihan turned up the heat on the back nine, getting back to level before three-putting the 17th to send Dawson down the 18th with a 1 up lead.
The Faithlegg man hit a terrible tee shot left into a water hazard, took a penalty drop and hit a great shot to 50 fett. Moynihan, who was bunkered off the tee, hit a world class recovery to 20 feet but Dawson holed his 50 footer for par and Moynihan's putt slid past the edge.
The match took its toll on Dawson, who fell by 4 and 3 to Jeroen Rietenmeijer of the Netherlands in the second round.
Naas' Hume beat another Dutchman, Lars Keunan, 1 up as Hurley crushed the American Jim Liu 6 and 5.
Hume then went on to beat Frenchman Sébastien Gandon at the 20th to set up a quarter-final meeting with England's Ashley Chesters, winner of the last two European Individual Amateur Championships, at 8.23am.
Unless he turns professional, Chesters is considered a certainty to make the Walker Cup team and a win for Hume would do his chances of selection for Royal Lytham no harm at all.
Hurley is also being considered for a place in the Great Britain and Ireland side and he impressed again, crushing joint leading qualifier Viktor Hvoland of Norway 4 and 3.
The West Waterford man, a star performer for Ireland last season, faces the Austrian Markus Maukner in the last eight and could meet team mate Hume in the semi-finals.
In what was a nice touch, Moynihan, Colm Campbell and Dermot McElroy caddied for Dawson, Hurley and Hime respectively in the afternoon, all six attired in the Irish kit.
In the other half of the draw, Spain's Ivan meets England's Sean Towndrow with Rietenmeijer taking on England's Ashton Turner.
