Malone’s Robert Moran made four birdies in a bogey-free 66 to take a three-stroke lead into this afternoon’s final round of the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close at Malone.

The Irish international, who was runner-up to Peter O’Keeffe after a playoff in the 2021 Irish Close at Tullamore, was two strokes behind 36-hole leader Jack Hearn.

He birdied the seventh, eighth and 11th to hit the front in blustery conditions outside Belfast in round three and added another birdie at the par-five 17th for his 66 to lead by three shots on five-under-par from defending champion Quentin Carew.

Carew was one-under for the day with four holes to play but sandwiched a birdie at the 16th between bogeys at the 15th and 17th in a 70 to sit alone in second place on two-under.

First-round leader Keith Egan shot 69 to move up to tied third on one-under alongside overnight leader Hearn, who made two birdies and four bogeys in a 70.

Walker Cup hopeful Liam Nolan is 10 strokes behind Moran on five-over after making six bogeys in a third round 73.

AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close, Malone GC (Par 70)

Detailed scores

After 54 holes

205 Robert Moran (Castle) 68 71 66

208 Quentin Carew (Castleknock) 70 68 70

209 Keith Egan (Carton House) 66 74 69, Jack Hearn (Tramore) 70 67 72

210 Adam Cromwell (Co. Armagh) 69 71 70, Calum Ward (Carton House) 75 69 66

211 Scott Jones (Belvoir Park) 74 67 70

212 Simon Ward (Belvoir Park) 68 72 72

213 Jordan Boles (Charleville) 69 72 72

214 Brandon St John (Portmarnock) 72 69 73

215 Liam Nolan (Galway) 70 72 73

216 Dean O’Riordan (Fermoy) 74 71 71, Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 71 72 73, Ross McCormack
(Palmerstown House Estate 71 70 75, Conor Murtagh (The Island) 72 66 78

217 Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas) 74 73 70, Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell) 74 71 72, Aaron Marshall(Lisburn) 72 75 70, Rían Carvill (Warrenpoint) 73 74 70, Simon Walker (Roscommon) 71 71 75, Jamie Butler (Killeen) 72 72 73

218 Evan Farrell (Co Louth) 75 71 72, Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park) 70 74 74, Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) 74 70 74, David Shiel (Enniscrone) 74 69 75

219 Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 75 72 72, Gerard Dunne (Co Louth GC 71 76 72), Luke Kelly (Dunfanaghy) 77 67 75, Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) 69 76 74, Jack Blake (The Island) 73 71 75, Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint) 73 72 74

220 Marc Boucher (Carton House) 74 73 73, Dylan Keating (Seapoint) 73 72 75, David Howard(Fota Island) 69 75 76

221 Robert Galligan (Elm Park) 75 72 74, David Kitt (Athenry) 71 76 74, Jake Foley (Elm Park) 73 74 74, Rory Milne (Faithlegg) 73 74 74, Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park) 77 70 74

222 Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin) 76 68 78, Mark Doogue (Baltinglass) 78 69 75, Paul Coughlan
(Castleknock) 72 72 78

223 Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 73 74 76, David Muldowney (Naas) 71 72 80

224 James Fox (Portmarnock) 75 68 81, Charlie Mooney (Ballinasloe) 76 71 77

225 Cian Harkin (Letterkenny) 74 72 79, Josh McCabe (Roganstown Golf & CC) 72 74 79, James Hewitt
(Tandragee) 74 72 79.