David Lynn fired eight birdies in a second-round 65

England's David Lynn took the halfway lead at the Irish Open after carding a second-round 65.

The 29-year-old, who is bidding to win his first professional title, goes into the third round one ahead of Michael Campbell and four clear of Thomas Bjorn, Robert Karlsson and Peter Lawrie.

Darren Clarke survived the cut by two shots thanks to a 68, but pre-tournament favourite Padraig Harrington did not, slumping to a 76.

It was only the second missed cut in Europe for the world number nine in nearly three years.

IRISH OPEN LEADERBOARD -10 David Lynn -9 Michael Campbell -6 Thomas Bjorn, Robert Karlsson, Peter Lawrie

The 29-year-old from Staffordshire has been a professional for seven seasons and admits things have not always been easy.

"It can just get a bit mundane sometimes if you are not achieving what you want," said the former amateur international, whose best finishes so far have been second places in Austria in 1996 and Morocco two years ago.

"You get a bit disappointed and it just gets a bit monotonous. It kicks in every year at some point, but then it tends to go away."

Three birdies in his first five holes and then five more in an inward 31 swept him clear, a 30-foot downhill putt on the 17th being the icing on the cake.

Campbell, round in 69, is back in Europe after a nightmare time in America, where he missed every single cut and had a round of 89 in the Players' Championship in March before being disqualified for signing for a wrong score.

But it was a different story for home favourite Harrington.

Sebastien Delagrange admitted his mistake to course officials

"I struggled mentally and just did some stupid things. But I tried on every shot and I can't do more than that," he said.

"It's disappointing, but that's the way it is."

With a first baby on the way in a few weeks, he is not sure when he will next play - it could even be his defence of the dunhill links championships at the end of September.

And Frenchman Sebastien Delagrange also had a day to forget.

Six days after Mark Roe and Jesper Parnevik were kicked out of The Open for forgetting to exchange cards, Delagrange signed for a one-over-par 73 in the first round but then realised it was a 74 and was disqualified.