Theo Boulet (France) holes his bunker shot at the 4th green during the second round of the 2018 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Belvoir Park Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Portstewart’s Mark Windebank claimed the Connacht Seniors Open Championship when he closed with a two-under 68 to pip Doneraile’s Michael Quirke on a countback after they tied on one-under 139 at Strandhill.

The champion birdied three of his first four holes and while he bogeyed the 10th, 11th and 12th, he birdied the 18th for the joint low round of the day as Quirke bogeyed his last two holes for a 71.

They finished two shots ahead of Malone’s Barry Hobson, who also shot 68, as Naas’ Maurice Kelly shot 71 and took fourth on a countback from overnight leader Adrian Morrow, who shot 76, as they finished on two-over-par

Tralee’s Michael Coote won the Fred Perry Cup for Veterans on nine-over par after rounds of 74 and 75.

Scores

Irish Boys - French talent leads Irish Boys at halfway

Theo Boulet (France) driving at the 15th tee during the second round of the 2018 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Belvoir Park Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

France’s Theo Boulet has a one-stroke lead at halfway in the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Belvoir Park.

He fired four birdies in a level par 71 to lead on four-under par from Wales' Archie Davies, who shot a 70, and Lisburn's Joshua Robinson, who signed for a one-over 72.

Nenagh’s Scott O’Brien made six birdies in a best of the day 67 to move up to solo fourth on two-under with Athenry’s David Kitt the only other player in the red after a 73 left him a shot further back in fifth.

The top 50 and ties after today's third round — eight-over at halfway— will qualify for tomorrow's final round.

Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship, Belvoir Park GC (Par 71)

Detailed scores

After 36 holes

138 T Boulet (Fra) 67 71;

139 A Davies (Wal) 69 70, J Robinson (Lisburn) 67 72;

140 S O'Brien (Nenagh) 73 67;

141 D Kitt (Athenry) 68 73;

142 J Byrne (Baltinglass) 70 72;

143 A Maguire (Laytown & Bettystown) 73 70, D Li (Germany) 73 70, J McCabe (Roganstown) 69 74;

144 T McKibbin (Holywood) 73 71, D Raher (Dungarvan) 73 71, B Pierleoni (Eng) 72 72, S Burrell (Spain) 70 74, R Carvill (Warrenpoint) 68 76;

145 R McNelis (Fintona) 74 71, N Trey (Fra) 74 71, C Rabbette (Esker Hills) 74 71, H Islam (Eng) 68 77;

146 K Morrison (Greenacres) 74 72, A d'Aurelle de Paladines (Fra) 73 73, D Gurr (Eng) 73 73, S Dowling (The Island) 70 76;

147 J Hull (Eng) 77 70, A Greville (Wal) 75 72, G Herlihy (Castle) 74 73, C Denvir (Elm Park) 73 74, C Byrne (Strabane) 73 74, J Brady (Rosslare) 73 74, M Kennedy (Royal Dublin) 73 74, S Doyle (Black Bush) 72 75, O Maguire (Slieve Russell) 69 78;

148 A Blair (Scrabo) 75 73, H Arnold (Eng) 75 73, J Hill (Galgorm Castle) 74 74, A Marshall (Lisburn) 74 74, H Archer (Fra) 73 75;

149 R Galligan (Elm Park) 77 72, T Smyth (Castle) 77 72, J Doherty (Carton House) 77 72, E Rowe (Tandragee) 76 73, P Beauvy (Fra) 75 74, S Miller (Clandeboye) 73 76, D Leufer (Athenry) 73 76, D West (Eng) 72 77;

150 K Robinson (Castlewarden) 77 73, P Conroy (Enniscorthy) 76 74, J Rooney (Co. Armagh) 75 75, M Deasy (Bantry Bay) 74 76, P McNelis (Fintona) 74 76, D Rochford (Bray) 74 76, D Keating (Seapoint) 73 77, C Murtagh (Balcarrick) 73 77, E Shipp (Headfort) 72 78;

---Projected cut---

151 E Murphy (Dundalk) 80 71, N Kirwan (Mount Juliet) 77 74, N Van Caneghem (Fra) 77 74, A Smith (Mullingar) 76 75, L Keyes (Dun Laoghaire) 76 75, S Irwin (Killeen) 76 75, O O'Driscoll (Golf Clementader Paris) 76 75, P Naughton (Limerick) 75 76, A Flynn (Dun Laoghaire) 75 76, C Dunn (Foyle) 75 76, B Beaumont (Bangor) 74 77, L Nolan (Galway) 71 80;

152 J Connolly (Lahinch) 81 71, S Walker (Roscommon) 79 73, R Cowhey (Elm Park) 77 75, J O'Riordan (Dungarvan) 77 75, R Goodyear (Eng) 72 80;

153 D Marshall (Naas) 80 73, D Lynch (Clonmel) 80 73, P Arundel (Eng) 79 74, C Dawson (Tramore) 76 77, C French (Carton House) 72 81;

154 D Twomey (Elm Park) 78 76, B Crawford (Greenacres) 77 77, A Hill (Athenry) 77 77, A Carroll (Citywest Resort) 77 77, E McArthur (Massereene) 76 78, T Plunkett (Crover House) 75 79, K Rafferty (Dundalk) 75 79, C Glennon (Glasson) 75 79;

155 B McCarthy (Kinsale) 82 73, K Patton (Lisburn) 79 76, R McCrory (Lurgan) 79 76, E Sullivan (Carton House) 76 79, A Naughton (Grange Castle) 76 79;

156 K McArdle (Powerscourt) 81 75, I Halpin (Cahir Park) 78 78, D Connolly (Castle Dargan) 76 80, J Shellard (Lisburn) 75 81;

157 L Abom (Edmondstown) 81 76, P Byrne (Ballybunion) 81 76, J Duffy (Buncrana) 80 77, S Leonard (Mitchelstown) 78 79, B Phipps (Ardee) 77 80, T Higgins (Roscommon) 76 81, J Egan (Muskerry) 76 81;

158 S Downes (Royal Dublin) 83 75, D Kelly (Cill Dara) 80 78, C Hickey (Dooks) 78 80;

159 M Troy (Dungarvan) 85 74, J Napier (Scrabo) 83 76, S Whelan (Royal Tara) 83 76, S Murphy (Portumna) 82 77, S Kearns (Elm Park) 78 81, P Greene (Holywood) 78 81, L Mitchell (Knock) 76 83;

160 C Connell (Newlands) 85 75, T Stout (Royal Belfast) 81 79, K Honer (Roganstown) 79 81, R Goodall (Royal Portrush) 79 81, J Boles (Charleville) 78 82, S Jones (Belvoir Park) 77 83;

161 T Kelly (Royal Dublin) 86 75, A Collins (Laytown & Bettystown) 84 77, O Reilly (Newlands) 80 81, E O'Shaughnessy (Muskerry) 76 85;

162 D O'Malley (Black Bush) 84 78, S Murtagh (Mullingar) 83 79, J Brown (The Heath) 81 81;

163 D Boden (Belvoir Park) 83 80, M Fitzgibbon (Portmarnock) 83 80, C Cunningham (Galway Bay) 80 83, C Cooley (Belvoir Park) 79 84, S Carroll (Castle Dargan) 74 89;

164 C Steel (Spain) 86 78, A Doherty (Carton House) 84 80, D Mulligan (Laytown & Bettystown) 83 81, E McGrath (Athlone) 82 82;

165 O Twomey (The Island) 81 84;

166 M McCormack (Mullingar) 81 85;

167 A Doyle (Silverwood) 78 89;

170 D Carton (New Forest) 87 83;

171 L Travers (Ardee) 87 84;

RTD S Young (Fintona), G Keogh (Galway), J Black (Lisburn);

NS J Mackin (Dundalk);

RTD D Keery (Shandon Park);

NS A Bocquet (Fra);

RTD P Taylor (Tandragee).