Forrest Little’s Jack McDonnell loves Baltray and it showed on the opening day of the Kingspan East of Ireland Championship when he made six birdies in a six-under 66 to grab the early lead at County Louth.

Playing out of Royal Dublin, the 2022 runner-up birdied the 14th, 15th and 16th to turn in 32 before picking up further shots at the second, fourth and ninth to go bogey-free and set the early pace.

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He leads by a shot from Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan and Roscommon’s Simon Walker with his Royal Dublin clubman Max Kennedy tied for fourth with Blainroe’s David Lally after a 68.

Lenehan (36) was pleasantly surprised to make six birdies in a five-under 67 in the first group off the first on a day on a perfect day for links golf.

He three-putted the first but birdied the second, fifth and ninth to turn in two-under 35 before picking up three more shots on the back nine at the 11th, 13th and 17th.

“I was happy to just be there to be honest,” said Lenehan, who has just moved house and was playing only his sixth round this year.

“I have very low expectations of my abilities, which may be a helpful thing. I three-putted the first from 15 feet, but it was very solid after that. I didn't hit the ball great, but just kept it in the right places and holed a couple of books at the right time.”

Lenehan, who finished two shots outside a playoff in 2012 when Chris Selfridge beat Nicky Grant, was more than pleased with his efforts.

“That was the only time I’ve been close coming down the stretch,” said the Dubliner, who enjoyed his birdie at the 11th, where he hit a six iron to 15 feet and holed the breaking putt.

“That’s normally a hole I would fight with,” he said. “The conditions look fair all day. Perfect links conditions and the course is in great condition. Every time you come back, they have improved the detailing of the course, so it’s a great place to visit.”

Walker went bogey-free to join Lenehan on five-under while Kennedy and Lally each made six birdies and two bogeys in their 68s.

Seapoint’s Dylan Keating shot 69 to sit alone in sixth while Flogas Irish Amateur Open champion Matt McClean birdied four of his last seven holes on the back nine to post a 70 that left him tied seventh with Co Louth’s Evan Farrell and Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill.

Several fancied contenders dipped under par with Caolan Rafferty, runner-up for the past two years, carding a one-under 71 to share 10th with Co Sligo’s TJ Ford, Royal Dublin’s Hugh Foley, Douglas’ Peter O’Keeffe, former professional Stephen Grant from Birr and Carton House’s Darragh Flynn.