Michael McGeady, a former winner on the Challenge Tour and winner of the Irish PGA Championship just two years ago, remains on course to emerge from European Tour School Qualifying Stage One qualifying.

A second round 68 for a midway total of 139, three-under-par, moved him into tied-fifth at Hardelot in the south of France.

The 37-year-old Derry man trailed France's Julien Foret by three strokes as he seeks to move onto Stage Two in the three-phase quest to secure a full tour card for 2016.

There was a marked improvement from Gavin Moynihan in the qualifier at Ribagolfe in Lisbon, where the 22-year-old Dubliner shot a second round 68 for 140, four-under-par, to move through the field and into tied-15th place.

A member of the winning Walker Cup team at Lytham, Moynihan retained the momentum from a strong finish to his first round with an outward run of 32 that featured a hat-trick of birdies from the second.

With 22 players and ties moving on from Lisbon to Stage Two in Spain in early November, Moynihan, who improved his position by 30 places, has strengthened his hand but has little room for manoeuvre and will need to maintain that form.

Brendan McCarroll carded a second round 70 for 141, three-under-par, to be tied-24th in the bunched field with Tim Rice one-under.