Ireland swept into the quarter-finals at Silkeborg in Denmark yesterday and will play seventh-placed qualifiers the Netherlands in the first matchplay contest today.

They finished the qualifying phase on 741 – 21 over par, six shots behind leaders France.

Headfort’s Rory McNamara was once again a pillar of strength for the Irish team, adding a one over 73 to his previous day’s tally of two under.

He looked to be faltering after a triple bogey at the second, but clawed it back to level par by the 13th with birdies at the seventh, eighth and 11th, only to bogey the penultimate hole.

Triple bogey
Youngsters Jack Hume and Gavin Moynihan also carded solid 73s. Moynihan recovering from an early triple bogey.

Kevin Phelan also produced a much better second round score, finishing on 74.

Phelan was one under at the turn, with another birdie at the 11th seeing him sit in a strong position heading towards the finish, before a double bogey at the 13th and bogey at the 17th, however, saw him slip back.

Dubliner Paul Dunne shot a five over 75, carding a double bogey at the last on consecutive days, while Mourne's Reeve Whitson hit seven bogeys and two double bogeys.

Ireland also made it into the top flight – the last eight –in the European Boys Team Championship over the Murcar Links in Scotland – but they had to work hard for their place.

They got through in seventh spot with a two-day aggregate of 738 – 28 over par.

Co Sligo's Sean Flanagan led the way with a splendid 73 – three over par – despite a double bogey six on the 7th. Jamie Sugrue, Paul McBride and Alec Myles all posted 74. Robin Dawson's 75 also counted.

Ireland today meet England for a place in the last four.