All five Irish contenders have reached the last 64 of the European Amateur Championship after the round-robin phase concluded on Thursday in Cyprus.
Brendan O’Donoghue, Michael Judge, and John Farrell each impressed with a 100% record from their group ties.
O’Donoghue, who is ranked first domestically on the RIBSA calendar, didn’t even lose a frame as he coasted into the knockout stages as the second seed.
Judge, meanwhile, scored the heaviest of anybody from the early exchanges with a brace of centuries and nine further runs above 60.
The 42 year-old has been drawn into the top quarter to play Frenchman Niel Vincent, while fellow Dubliner Philip Browne is also in the same bracket.
Browne suffered a solitary defeat to Northern Ireland’s Jordan Brown in the group stage but two wins were sufficient to comfortably see him qualify.
In-form TJ Dowling, meanwhile, similarly lost once – to Malta’s Brian Cini – but a hat-trick of victories proved more than enough for the national champion.
If O’Donoghue and Dowling emerge unscathed from their first knockout clash they will set up a blockbuster battle between the top two ranked players from Ireland.
Farrell is in the same bracket as well, with Welshman Nathan Davenport the next opponent for the 44 year-old.
Competition will be stiff for the remainder of the event with the likes of Jamie Clarke, Peter Lines, Adam Stefanow, Declan Brennan, and Andrew Pagett among those still in contention.
Play continues until Sunday.