It was a tale of contrasting fortunes for two leading Irishmen on the second day of the Smurfit Kappa European Open at a windswept K-Club.

As Padraig Harrington appeared to play himself back into contention his Ryder Cup team mate Paul McGinley was left thoroughly frustrated with his efforts. While Harrington signed for a two under 68 to be one under at the halfway stage, his fellow Dubliner added a second successive 71 to be two over and in danger of missing the cut.

"Things just aren't going for me at the moment," offered a dejected McGinley after his round. "I'm not playing very well but nothing is going for me either.

"I'm not getting away with anything at the moment either. I hit a bad shot with a rescue to the first (his 10th). I pulled it left and it ended up in the hay and unplayable," added McGinley, who took a double bogey six at that hole.

"I'm just not getting away with anything but when things are going against you that's what happens. End of the day I can't blame luck. I've have eight birdies in two days and shot two over par, it's just not good enough at professional standard. I've nobody to blame but myself, can't blame luck, can't blame the draw, can't blame anything."

It was suggested he was being too hard on himself but he wasn't buying that. He was also reminded of being in a similar situation last year when, convinced he'd missed the cut, started out for the airport only to discover he had in fact made it through. He went on to shoot 67, 69 over the weekend to finish fourth. As it stands though, McGinley will miss the cut by one shot.

As for Harrington he revealed he was lucky to tee it up at all yesterday after a knee injury. "I really didn't think I was going to be able to play yesterday," revealed the world number 10 who had it strapped up for yesterday's round.  "But that had its own problems as it caused swelling on the back of the knee because it was so tight.

"I didn't have it on today and it was fine all the way up until my second last hole when I just twisted it on some soft ground. So no more practice for me today," added Harrington who admitted to a degree of fortune during today's round.

"My round changed very quickly. I played quite well early on, then hit my tee shot fat at the 17th (his eighth). At that point I looked like going four-over and no way back as the putts weren't dropping. Then I hit a great pitch to about five feet, holed that, and that gave me some confidence. Then I hit a lovely five-iron from 167yards at the next into 12 feet and sneaked in the birdie. All of a sudden the picture was brighter as I'm two-over instead of four-over."

Then on his back nine he got some momentum going when he hit a drive and five-wood and pitched stone-dead for a birdie at the third, his 12th, and made another at the next after almost holing his second.

Harrington couldn't believe he put his drive in the water at the seventh (16th). "I was dumbfounded my tee shot went in the water at the seventh. I still made a good par after holing from 10 feet. Then holed a great birdie on eight from 25 feet. Sometimes you get these wee spells in a round when things go your way and I'm very happy."

Harrington has also had driver issues this week and is on his third variation. "The one I switched to yesterday, the grip was a bit weak and I spun it up in the air. For today I went to the driver I've been getting ready for the Open, not the one with the chip in the shaft. I went back to the short shafted driver, I hit it lower and with less spin.  It's the driver I'll be using for the next two weeks. The driver with chip has a new shaft in it as I was going to have to replace that shaft at some stage."

In all though Harrington was happy with his day's work, if a little disappointed to be at the wrong end of the draw.

"I'm actually a bit disappointed as the afternoon draw seems to have got the better of the day again. When we were out there and expecting the weather to be a little bit worse I didn't think one-under would be too far away but now it has eased I would expect the five and six-unders to move on rather than come back."

As it is Harrington is seven shots off the early lead held by Pelle Edberg. The little-known Swede carded a 65 to set the clubhouse target on eight-under.