Not even a wind-blown 79 couldn stop Royal Belfast’s Marilyn Henderson extending her lead ahead of Friday’s final round of the Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay at breezy Rosslare.

Having blitzed the field with an opening one under par 72 on Wednesday, Henderson held her nerve as the breeze stiffened throughout the day and birdied the final hole to establish a commanding five stroke lead.

Senior international Suzanne Corcoran fired an impressive 77 to lie second, one stroke ahead of defending champion Minna Kaarnalahti of Finland and Mallow’s Mary Dowling  after they signed for 79 and 78 respectively.

Defending champions Ireland lead the Nations Cup ahead of USA, Canada, Finland and England.

Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay, Rosslare (Par 73)

After 36 holes (SSS 74 CSS 76 76)

151 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) 72 79

156 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) 79 77

157 Mary Dowling (Mallow) 79 78 Minna Kaarnalahti (FIN) 78 79

159 Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) 79 80

160 Becky Neal (USA) 85 75

163 Pat Doran (Donabate) 87 76 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) 79 84

164 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 80 84

166 Nancy Beck (USA) 87 79 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 86 80 Ivy Steinberg (CAN) 80 86

167 Carolyn Creekmore (USA) 82 85

168 Irene Brien (ENG) 84 84

169 Liz Bennett (New Ross) 90 79

170 Diane Williams (CAN) 85 85 Connie Doyle (Enniscorthy) 82 88

171 Hazel Shewry (ENG) 92 79 Catherine Bird (Nenagh) 85 86

172 Anne Ferguson (RCD Ladies) 88 84

173 Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook) 87 86 Taffy Brower (USA) 83 90

174 Catriona Corrigan (Ballybunion) 92 82 Melissa Gotfredson (USA) 89 85 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 88 86 Judy Collins (CAN) 82 92

175 Gertie McMullen (The Island) 94 81 Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion) 90 85

176 Kate Peppler (SWI) 90 86

177 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 87 90

178 Pamela Williamson (SCO) 90 88 Eileen Kenny-Ryan (Ballybunion) 89 89 Sheila Crosbie (Rosslare) 87 91 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) 85 93

179 Kathleen Colliflower (USA) 94 85 Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone) 92 87 Paula Murray (Naas) 90 89

180 Heli Ekstrom (FIN) 88 92

181 Breda Naughton (Adare Manor) 92 89 Vandra Deacon (Rosslare) 92 89

Not available for final round:

172 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 85 87

178 Gemma Butler (Birr) 90 88

179 Joan Scanlon (Newcastle West) 92 87

Missed cut:

182 Vonny Kelly (Powerscourt) 92 90

183 Penny Gleeson (Milltown) 94 89 Ada Vrolijk (NED) 93 90 Ann McAuley (Laytown & Bettystown) 90 93

184 Valerie Doyle (Rosslare) 87 97

186 Evelyn Donnelly (Lisheen Springs) 96 90 Yvonne MacSweeney (Wexford) 90 96

187 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 97 90 Teresa Cowman (Rosslare) 95 92 Mary Courtney (Delgany) 94 93 Linda Ward (CAN) 89 98

188 Angela Murphy (Rosslare) 96 92 Leslie Olive Henry (USA) 94 94

189 Wanda Mochtar (NED) 99 90 Catherine Howard (Rosslare) 97 92

192 Doreen McGovern (Rosslare) 101 91 Heidi Simpson (Royal Portrush) 97 95

193 Joan Bowe (Rosslare) 94 99

194 Iet Hagels deBoer (NED) 98 96 Frances Mahon (Newlands) 94 100

196 Ruth Farrell (Woodbrook) 103 93

201 Marion Kennedy-Hogan (N'castle W) 99 102

207 Maria Burford (New Ross) 108 99

NATIONS CUP (2 scores from 3 to count each day)

312 IRELAND B Pat Doran [87] 76 Mary Dowling 79 78 Mary MacLaren 79 [80]

317 IRELAND A Suzanne Corcoran 79 77 Sheena McElroy 80 [84] Gertie McMullen [94] 81

325 USA A Taffy Brower 83 [90] Carolyn Creekmore 82 85 Becky Neal [85] 75

329 IRELAND C Helen Jones 79 84 Catherine Reilly 86 80 Pauline Walsh [87] [90]

333 CANADA A Judy Collins 82 [92] Ivy Steinberg 80 86 Diane Williams [85] 85

337 FINLAND Heli Ekstrom 88 92 Minna Kaarnalahti 78 79

339 ENGLAND Irene Brien 84 84 Hazel Shewry 92 79

345 USA B Nancy Beck 87 79 Kathleen Colliflower 94 85 Lesley Olvie Henry [94] [94]

371 NETHERLANDS Iet Hagels de Boer 98 [96] Wanda Mochtar [99] 90 Ada Vrolijk 93 90

TIMESHEET – FRIDAY 11 SEPTEMBER

1. 08:30 Breda Naughton (Adare Manor) Vandra Deacon (Rosslare)
2. 08:40 Paula Murray (Naas) Heli Ekstrom (FIN)
3. 08:50 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) Kathleen Colliflower (USA) Rita McGoldrick (Enniscrone)
4. 09:00 Pamela Williamson (SCO) Eileen Kenny-Ryan (Ballybunion) Sheila Crosbie (Rosslare)
5. 09:10 Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion) Kate Peppler (SWI) Pauline Walsh (Headfort)
6. 09:20 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) Judy Collins (CAN) Gertie McMullen (The Island)
7. 09:30 Taffy Brower (USA) Catriona Corrigan (Ballybunion) Melissa Gotfredson (USA)
8. 09:40 Catherine Bird (Nenagh) Anne Ferguson (RCD Ladies) Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook)
9. 09:50 Diane Williams (CAN) Connie Doyle (Enniscorthy) Hazel Shewry (ENG)
10. 10:00 Carolyn Creekmore (USA) Irene Brien (ENG) Liz Bennett (New Ross)
11. 10:10 Nancy Beck (USA) Catherine Reilly (The Heath) Ivy Steinberg (CAN)
12. 10:20 Pat Doran (Donabate) Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) Sheena McElroy (Grange)
13. 10:30 Minna Kaarnalahti (FIN) Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) Becky Neal (USA)
14. 10:40 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) Mary Dowling (Mallow)