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Shane Lowry signed for a round of 68 and Michael Hoey 69 to remain three shots off the pace set by the four joint leaders at the BMW International Open in Cologne on Friday.
Lowry carded five birdies with only the one bogey on the par four 10t with Hoey mixing a triple bogey seven on the first hole, and three bogeys to damage a nine birdie.
Damien McGrane shot 71 to make the cut at four-under- par.
Gareth Maybin, Kevin Phelan, Paul McGinley, Peter Lawrie and Simon Thornton missed the cut.
Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Pablo Larrazabal were joined at the head of the leaderboard on 12-under- par by 2012 BMW International Open champions Danny Willett and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo.
Six players, including Miguel Angel Jimenez were on 10-under-par, and Hoey and Lowry finished in a group of eight sitting just three shots back on nine under.
Martin Kaymer missed the cut by four shots on level-par 142.
Fellow German Marcel Siem looked like he might also miss the cut until a final flourish where he birdied five of the last six holes to not only make the cut but also force his way into contention at eight-under-par with a 66.
Of the leaders, Larrazabal made the greatest gain with a nine under par 63 to reach 12-under 132, a 36 hole total matched by Grillo with a 66, and the two overnight leaders Cabrera-Bello and Willett who shot matching 68s.
Cabrera-Bello had the misfortune of a double-hit out of the rough on the par five seventh hole, his 16th, but 68 kept him on track.
Willett, who was playing alongside Cabrera-Bello, then had to avoid calamity of his own shortly after – as they closed on the ninth – when he horribly shanked his approach.
The Englishman was lucky to clear water away to his right as his ball nestled near the 18th green. He pitched back over the lake to scramble par and stay level with Cabrera-Bello.
"I'm pleased with my score but more pleased with the way I played. I felt I played really well today. I was a little unlucky coming down the last few holes but overall pleased with minus four," said Cabrera-Bello.
David Higgins was a withdrawal in round 2.
