If a demanding course and occasionally brutal conditions have dominated the event to date, at least Padraig Harrington has intervened to rescue another version of our national championship. For the past few years the Irish Open has been a small blip on the European golf radar, but with Harrington now in a strong position to become the first home player to win the title since John O'Leary back in 1982, there will be keen interest in today's outcome despite a glut of GAA championship games.

If world number 12 Harrington, by some margin the class act in a decidedly modest field, found the third round more of a struggle than on Friday when he made light of the punishing weather, he remained in control of the tournament as Bradley Dredge of Wales set the early mark in the clubhouse with a superb 69 for a one-under-par total of 215.

Damien McGrane put himself firmly in the mix with a fine 70, while Gary Murphy is also in contention after a 73.