Brady on a roll as other Irish contenders fall by the wayside

European Tour: Eamonn Brady's consistency in the Pre-Qualifying Stage II tournament at Costa Ballena is poised to reap dividends for the Dubliner, after a third-round 70 - coming on the back of two consecutive 69s - left the fledgling professional in tied-10th position, on eight-under-par 208, going into today's final round when tickets to next week's Final Qualifying School at San Roque will be awarded.

On what was a generally poor day for the Irish participants in PQ-II, where the battle for 81 places to San Roque is being decided at three different venues, Brady was the exception.

While Brady consolidated his position, it was a different story for Walker Cup player Noel Fox who fell to a third-round 79 for 217, leaving him in tied-64th place, and with a considerable amount to do if he is to revive his chances of making it to San Roque.

In fact, as things stand, Brady is the only Irish player in with a chance to making it to the tour school, although John Kelly's 71 at Ballena yesterday lifted him to tied-34th with a four-under-par 54-holes total of 212. Jimmy Bolger and David Mortimer were a shot further back on 213 after respective rounds of 74 and 75 which left them in tied-41st. The top 27 players after the final round today will earn places in the final qualifying.

Amateur international Michael McGeady had the best round of any Irish player yesterday with a 70, to move up to tied-47th on two-under-par 214. But he would need to improve even further in the final round if he is to fulfil his dream of getting to tour school where there will be 30 cards on offer for next season's PGA European Tour.

An indication of how tight the quest for precious tickets to San Roque is reflected in that there are seven players in a tie for 27th place on five under par at Costa Ballena. Should that remain the same after the fourth round, those players tying the last qualifying spot will be forced to play-off for a place at tour school.

The same situation applies at Emporda Golf Club and the PGA Golf de Catalunya, with three players in a tie for 26th spot on three under par at Emporda and four players sharing 27th place on level par at the PGA Golf de Catalunya where the sole Irish representative is Hermitage's Greg Bowden. He carded a 71 yesterday to be on five-over-par 218.

At the top of the leaderboards, Scotland's Andrew McArthur carded an excellent 66 to join Spain's Carlos de Corral in the lead at Costa Ballena. Italy's Marco Crespi posted a third-round 67 to lead by one at Emporda, and the Frenchman Julien Quesne has a four stroke advantage over the England's David Griffiths at Catalunya after a third-round 66.

EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL (Leading Irish scores): At Costa Bellina: 208 - E Brady, 69 6970; 212 - J Kelly, 69 74 71; 213 - J Bolger, 71 68 74; D Mortimer, 71 67 75; 214 - M McGeady, 75 69 70; 217 - N Fox, 70, 68,79; 219 - D Crowe, 73 71 75; C Moriarty, 73 70 76. At Golf de Catalunya: 218 - G Bowden, 70 77 71.