Harrington poised to make history

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Harrington carded a third-round 71 for a four-under-par total of 212 at Adare Manor, three ahead of England's Simon Wakefield and Wales' Bradley Dredge.

The 35-year-old Dubliner, looking to become the first Irish winner since John O'Leary in 1982, was one ahead at the start of play and made the perfect start with a birdie on the first.

Wakefield hit straight back with a birdie on the second but promptly bogeyed the next to leave Harrington two clear of the field.

On such a testing course it was never going to be plain sailing, however, and the lead quickly changed hands with a three-shot swing in the space of two holes.

Harrington bogeyed the sixth after missing the green and dropped another shot at the next, despite donning his waterproofs to play a shot from the edge of the water which runs the length of the hole.

And when Wakefield birdied the seventh the 33-year-old from Staffordshire suddenly led by one on three under par.

The momentum shifted once again just a few minutes later, Harrington holing from 15ft for par on the 10th as Wakefield's par attempt caught the edge of the hole and span out.

And when Wakefield suffered the same fate again on the 11th and 12th, while Harrington birdied the par-five 12th, the world number 12 was two in front once more.

A run of four pars was broken on the 17th with a birdie from four feet, and although he missed from eight feet for another on the last, Harrington will be a hot favourite to finally give the fans a home winner on Sunday.