Amateur golfBrian KeoghWest of Ireland Championship, County Sligo GC, Cian Feeney, Alan Gaynor, Robbie Hynes, Eoghan O'Donovan, Harry Duggan, Patrick McCarville, Shane O'Connor, Fergal Kennedy, Conor McCaughey, Darragh Flynn, Dave Lowry, Cian O'Donnell, Michael DallatComment

"West" qualifier: Feeney tops as 13 make it; O'Donnell and Dallat survive 6-man playoff

Amateur golfBrian KeoghWest of Ireland Championship, County Sligo GC, Cian Feeney, Alan Gaynor, Robbie Hynes, Eoghan O'Donovan, Harry Duggan, Patrick McCarville, Shane O'Connor, Fergal Kennedy, Conor McCaughey, Darragh Flynn, Dave Lowry, Cian O'Donnell, Michael DallatComment
"West" qualifier: Feeney tops as 13 make it; O'Donnell and Dallat survive 6-man playoff

County Sligo's Cian Feeney shot a fine 69 to lead 13 qualifiers for the strokeplay qualifying rounds of the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point as Cian O'Donnell and Michael Dallat survived a six-man playoff for the last two spots.

Feeney made four birdies and a double bogey at the eighth to top the 13 qualifiers by a shot on two under par from Alan Gaynor (Co. Sligo), Robbie Hynes (The Royal Dublin) and Eoghan O'Donovan (Craddockstown).

Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) shot 71 as Patrick McCarville (Clones) and Shane O'Connor (Castlebar) posted 72s and Fergal Kennedy (Island), Conor McCaughey (Dungannon), Darragh Flynn (Carton House), and Dave Lowry (Corballis Links) signed for 73s to occupy the top 11 places.

Eight players finished tied for 12th after 74s, which would have meant an eight way playoff for the final place in the draw for Friday and Saturday. 

However, an extra spot became available when Gavin Smyth withdrew from the championship leaving Matt Wylie, John Hadnett (Castletroy), O'Donnell (Castletroy), Robert Moran (Castle), Nils Conway (Grange), TJ Ford (Co. Sligo), Gareth Mann (Tullamore) and Dallat (Ballycastle) to play off for two places as John Hadnett (Castletroy) and Nils Conway (Grange) did not take part 

O’Donnell's birdie three at the first clinched the first spot and with Wylie eliminated after a bogey there, Ford, Moran, Mann and Dallat headed up the second.

Dallat, Moran and Ford all birdied which meant Mann was out. But while all three parred the par-five third, which will be played to the original green this week as the new approach area is not quite ready, Ford bogeyed the par-three fourth and exited.

That left Moran and Dallat to head down the 18th in fading light to battle it out for the final spot.

And it went to Dallat with a two-putt par after Moran missed the green right and failed with a 20 footer for par.

West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship Pre-Qualifier (12 to qualify)

Detailed scores

Qiualifiers

69 Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo)

70 Alan Gaynor (Co. Sligo), Robbie Hynes (The Royal Dublin), Eoghan O'Donovan (Craddockstown)

71 Harry Duggan (Kilkenny)

72 Patrick McCarville (Clones), Shane O'Connor (Castlebar)

73 Fergal Kennedy (Island), Conor McCaughey (Dungannon), Darragh Flynn (Carton House), Dave Lowry (Corballis Links)

74 Cian O'Donnell (Castletroy), Michael Dallat (Ballycastle)

Non qualifiers

74 Matt Wylie, John Hadnett (Castletroy), Cian O'Donnell (Castletroy), Robert Moran (Castle), Nils Conway (Grange), TJ Ford (Co. Sligo), Gareth Mann (Tullamore), Michael Dallat (Ballycastle)

(O’Donnell, Ford, Moran, Mann, Dallat and Wylie contested a playoff with 2 spots going to O'Donnell @19th and Dallat @23rd)

75 Ciaran Corcoran (Royal Tara), Brian Shally (Dromoland), Jack Blake (Island), Stephen Dixon (Island), Declan O'Hara (Belvoir Park)

76 Garth McManus (Co. Sligo), Peter Hennessy (Lahinch), Stefan Greenberg (Tandragee), Paul Murphy (Rosslare), Ruairi O'Connor (Co. Sligo), Jack Madden (Dungannon), Liam Bresnahan (Omagh), Ryan O'Doherty (Enniscrone), Martin Hynes (Athenry), Mark Healy (Kinsale)

77 Eoin Glynn (Lahinch), Jason Murphy (Greenore), Cathal Nolan (Galway), Greg O'Mahony (Fota Island), Mathew Murphy (Clandeboye), Keith Daniels (Loughrea), Declan O'Leary (Dromoland), Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis), Hugh Foley (The Royal Dublin), Brian Timlin (Galway)

78 James Lindsay (North West), Matthew Fitzsimons (Ardglass), Niall Carroll (Athlone), Eoin O'Brien (Clontarf), Alan Craven (Roscommon), Shane Underwood (Co. Sligo), James Monaghan (The Royal Dublin), Sean Burke (Galway), Darragh Fitzgerald (Limerick)

79 Ciaran Henry (Strandhill), Thomas Finnegan (Co. Sligo), Eoghan Long (Monkstown), Joe Bernie (Athenry), Richard Tighe (Elm Park), Jamie Dunne (Borris), Jamal Sabir (Moate), Des Timbs (Strandhill), Darragh O'Connor (Fota Island)

80 Jack Walsh (Castle), Rob Fitzpatrick (Naas), A.j. Crinion (Newlands), Jack Tuohy (Galway Bay), Sean Ross (Kilkeel), Alan Duffy (Royal Tara)

81 Dale Jackson (Massereene), Eoin Gaughan (Co. Sligo), Ryan Corry (Clandeboye), Ryan McCullough (Massereene), Mark McKenna (Fortwilliam), Bill Hannan (Carton House), Adrian Wynne (Strandhill), Max Thallon (Bangor)

82 Cian Healy (Ballyneety), Ronan O'Callaghan (Mannan Castle), Bill Murray (Waterford Castle), Gerard Noone (Claremorris), Alan Considine (Lahinch), Serryth Heavey (Co. Sligo), Conor Ryan (Dun Laoghaire)

83 Paul Tobin (Cork), Michael Shiel (Athenry), Bob Loftus (Lahinch)

84 Michael Kennelly (Athenry), Tommy Malone (Co. Cavan)

86 Eamonn McAleer (Omagh), David McAleenon (Edenmore)

87 Colin Rayfus (Knightsbrook)

NR Evan Farrell (Ardee), Nigel Mann (Adare Manor).