Chasing pack reel in Fisher

Fisher: third round 71

3 Irish Open
Third round leaderboard
GB&Ire unless stated
-12 R Fisher
-11 C Wood
-11 F Molinari (Ita)
-10 G Fernandez-Castano (Spa)

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Ross Fisher failed to repeat his Friday heroics but will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Irish Open.

The 29-year-old Englishman shot a second round 61 and was 10 shots worse on Saturday after a level par 71.

Fisher started the day with a three-shot cushion over playing partner Francesco Molinari, and four birdies in his first seven holes suggested he was set to burn up the Killarney Club course once again.

But the wheels came off at the eighth when he had a double bogey six after finding the water and he failed to make another birdie.

On 15 he drove into the trees and could not get up and down from through the green, then on 17 a straightforward chip and putt from the fringe proved beyond him.

A par at the last means he will take a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round over Italian Molinari (69) - who hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation - and England's Chris Wood.

Disappointed

Fisher told Sky Sports: "It's still good to have the lead but obviously I am a little disappointed. I felt like I was playing really, really nice up until eight. I felt like I hit a good shot there but the wind got hold of it, it went in the water and I made six.

"I felt like I played solid on the back nine but unfortunately the putts didn't drop today and 61 yesterday was 71 today."

Wood enjoyed a best-of-the-day 66 that included a run of five straight birdies from the fifth.

"I was hitting really, really nice shots, and the putts," the 22-year-old said.

"That's given me a lot of confidence and it's sort of gone through the rest of my game and I've given myself half a chance for tomorrow."

Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano looked set to be in the final group alongside Fisher on Sunday after getting to 12-under-par through 17, but he took a double bogey six at the last after firing his approach shot out of bounds.

Fifteen players are within six shots of the lead, including three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, who scrambled his way round in a remarkable 69 when he barely found a fairway - a 20-footer for par at the last summing up the Dubliner's day.

Harrington is in a share of fith place alongside Australian Richard Green (69) at nine-under-par, three shots off the pace.