European Amateur Team Championships: Gareth Shaw was Ireland's leading player for the second day running as the defending champions safely negotiated their way into the quarter-finals of the European Amateur Team Championships at Royal Park GC in Turin, Italy.

Over two days of strokeplay qualifying the Lurgan golfer produced the team's lowest scores by following his opening 68 with yesterday's 70 as Ireland qualified in seventh place with a 10-round team aggregate of one-under par 719. Scotland won the qualifying by five shots from Sweden with a 22-under total.

Ireland's qualification into the top flight looked anything but certain midway through the afternoon as several key players had off days. Irish number one Shane Lowry was three-over after five holes before eventually signing for a 78 and was the discarded Irish score on the second day.

"Our job was to qualify and that's what we've done. Now the slate is wiped clean and we start afresh against Sweden in the quarter-finals," said GUI general secretary, Shay Smith

Shaw, who will turn professional next Monday, is currently eighth in the individual standings on six-under, four shots behind Scotland's Wallace Booth. When Ireland won the title for the first time in 20 years at Western Gailes last year, Rory McIlroy was the leading individual player.

Elsewhere Brian Keenan from the Heath Golf Club leads going into today's final two rounds at Portarlintgon after overtaking Irish Youth international Rory McNamara with yesterday's second round 67.

Keenan led the 36-hole qualifying with a 137 aggregate, one shot better than McNamara, who shot a second round 70. Kilkenny's Craig Martin was third on 140 after carding 69. The cut for the 51 players who made it into the final two rounds fell at 155.

EUROPEAN AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS(in Turin):
698- Scotland
703- Sweden, Germany
705- England
708- Italy
709Spain
719- Ireland(G Shaw 70, J Caldwell 72, P Cutler 74, P O'Hanlon 74, N Kearney 76, Discarded: S Lowry 78).