After a busy month of golf that included qualifying for his first major and posting a career best European Tour finish Ryan McCarthy stumbled late in the third round of the Challenge Tour event in Northern Ireland.

Fatigue may have played a role in his second nine 40 on day three which likely cost him a spot in the top 24 who qualified for Sunday’s series of six hole strokeplay matches.

McCarthy was 4-under for the week through 12 holes of the third round and in the mix to advance to Sunday when disaster struck at the par-4 13th with a double bogey.

Another bogey at 15 and a second double at 17 sealed his fate and despite a face saving birdie at the last he finished well down the standings.

McCarthy was one of three Australians to make the journey to Northern Ireland but the only one to survive the 36 hole cut.

Ben Eccles couldn’t maintain the good momentum he built at last week’s event in Finland and finished two shots outside the cut line while Daniel Gaunt battled from the outset and was well outside the qualifying number.