Mullarney hits the front early in Irish Intervarsity Championship
Ronan Mullarney (Galway) during the AIG 2018 Irish Amateur Close Championship at The European Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Maynooth University's Ronan Mullarney found himself in a six-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the 54-hole Irish Intervarsity Championship at Rosapenna.
The Galway international, who is one of the favourites for the title won last year by the absent Caolan Rafferty, made two bogeys and one birdie in a steady, one-over 72 on the Old Tom Morris links at the stunning Donegal resort.
He shares top spot with Maynooth teammate TJ Ford, Dublin City University's Jonathan Quinn and Eoghan Collins, UCC's Calum Spicer and Ulster University's Adam Cromwell.
They are one shot clear of Dundalk IT's Eoghan Murphy, Maynooth's Conor Ryan and Ulster University's James McVicker with the top 29 and ties after Thursday's second round qualifying for the final day.
Maynooth's Mary Doyle leads the women's event by five shots from Rachel McDonnell thanks to an excellent, three-over 75
Irish Intervarsity Championship, Rosapenna (Old Tom Morris)
Round one
Men
72 J Quinn (Dublin City University); T Ford (Maynooth University); E Collins (Dublin City University); C Spicer (University College Cork); A Cromwell (Ulster University); R Mullarney (Maynooth University)
73 E Murphy (Dundalk IT); C Ryan (Maynooth University); J McVicker (Ulster University)
74 J Knipe (Ulster University)
75 C Roe (University College Dublin); L Power (Maynooth University); J Hood (Maynooth University); J Mackin (Dundalk IT)
76 J Patton (Dublin City University); G Ward (Cork IT); J McCarthy (University College Dublin)
77 K O'Meara (University College Dublin); W Eickholt (Dublin City University)
78 H Bradshaw (Dublin City University); P Greene (Ulster University); P Johnson (Ulster University)
79 A Hickey (Maynooth University); E Griffin (Maynooth University); H Gillivan (Maynooth University); S Clancy (Maynooth University); C Butler (Maynooth University); R Steedman (Maynooth University)
80 D Burke (Maynooth University); C Byrne (University College Dublin); K Power (University College Dublin); R Abernethy (Maynooth University); M Kilpatrick (Ulster University); B Peden (Maynooth University)
81 R Browne (University College Dublin); J Johnston (Ulster University); G Fitzmaurice (University College Dublin); D Brady (Maynooth University)
82 L Flynn (Trinity College Dublin); J Lawlor (Maynooth University); O O'Loughlin (Maynooth University)
83 S Heslin (Trinity College Dublin); D Flynn (Maynooth University)
84 L O'Connor (Maynooth University); C McDonald (Ulster University); C Walsh (Maynooth University); P McNelis (Ulster University)
85 J Heatherington (University College Dublin); B Murray (University College Dublin); S Foley (University College Cork)
86 S Herring (Maynooth University)
87 S Laverty (Dundalk IT); T O'Reilly (Dundalk IT); D Mealia (Maynooth University)
91 L Harris (Maynooth University)
98 E McCarthy (University College Cork)
WD L Hasson (Ulster University)
RTD J Tuohy (NUI Galway)
NS C Cummins (Dublin Institute of Technology)
RTD S Campbell (Ulster University)
Women
75 M Doyle (Maynooth University)
80 R McDonnell (University College Dublin)
81 N Ward (Ulster University)
87 E Corcoran (Dublin City University)
