County Louth’s Deirdre Smith secured top spot in the Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Close stroke play qualifying for the second year running, despite a tough day for scoring in Kilkeel.

Weather conditions improved on the second day of play but brought with it its own challenges as the August sunshine saw fairways and greens quicken, causing the all-important final qualifying scores to suffer.

Despite signing for a six-over 80, Smith put together an eight-over total to become leading qualifier in this event once again with double bogeys on seven and nine the only downside to a successful two days.

“Just disappointed the way I finished because I played better than the score but it’s all about qualifying so that’s the important thing,” said Smith.

“I’m happy enough with the way I’m playing. It’s a brand-new game tomorrow, it’s match play so it’s every hole and every shot and today you were trying to maybe not make mistakes too much. It’s such a tricky course, so tight and the pins were difficult today.”

The consensus from around the course on Wednesday afternoon was that the Kilkeel parkland will set up to bring an exciting two days of match play and with the County Louth golfer set to face Catherine Reilly (The Heath) in the first match of the day she is looking forward to the challenge that the last 16 tie and the course itself will bring.

“You’ll probably be able to go after your shots a little bit more whereas the last couple of days you are trying to not make mistakes rather than going for shots,” said Smith.

“You just have to really commit to your targets.”

David Mullholland qualified as the leading scorer in the Senior Men’s championship having carded an opening round 71 on Tuesday followed by a three-over 75.

Tony Cleary (Spanish Point) awaits in the opening match of the round of 16 and the Castlerock golfer is hoping that the game plan that earned him his number one spot continues to bring joy tomorrow.

“I’m delighted, not often that I’m the leading qualifier in anything so I’m delighted to do that. If I do nothing else, I’m delighted” said Mullholland.

“There are holes that lend themselves to either layup or driver and in the stroke play there’s no choice really you have to protect the score but tomorrow might be a wee bit different. I don’t think it will change my approach that much to be honest, I’ll stick to what I’m doing and try and get a score again and see how it goes.”

One-over was the low round of the day shared by four in the men’s field, among them, Kilkeel golfer Frank Reilly whose local knowledge not only helped him top the over-60 leaderboard with a final total of four-over but also gave him a place in tomorrow’s last 16 round.

“That was an advantage for me today over the field being the local man on the course,” said Reilly.

“The greens are fantastic, the course is in really good condition, but they got faster and firmer as the day went on. Just fantastic to play on it.”

The quarter finals of both the Irish Veteran Men’s Amateur Close Championship and the Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Close Plate have also been set with Fionnuala Halpin (Dun Laoghaire) taking on Pat Doran (Donabate) in the first of the women’s morning matches while the Shane Magee (Lurgan) versus Hugh Smyth (Mourne) match will be first off for the veterans.

View the full draw here