Clandeboye’s Jessica Ross is just three shots behind Italian teenager Alessia Nobilio heading into the final 36 holes of the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Knock.

As overnight leader Mairead Martin slipped to tied 11th and six off the pace after a 79, 17 year old Nobilio added a two under 71 to her opening  73 to lead by one stroke on two under 144 from Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe) and Georgia Price (Bude and North Cornwall).

Ross is tied for fourth place with Italy’s Alessia Cristin Avanzo and Englands’ Inci Mehmet on one over after rounds of 74 and 73 on a day when Lurgan’s Niamh McSherry missed the cut by one after a 77 that featured a brave birdie at the 18th.

Lurgan’s Annabel Wilson, just 15, it tied for seventh and only four behind after she made four bogeys and three birdies in a second successive 74.

Castletroy’s Chloe Ryan (75-77) is tied 17th on six over with Killarney’s Valerie Clancy making the cut on the 157 limit.

Ireland’s trio of McSherry, Chloe Ryan and Ross were third behind Italy and England in the team event.

The top 40 qualifiers will play the final 36 holes on Friday

Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Knock Golf Club (Par 73)

Detailed scores

Irish Scores

T4 147 Jessica Ross (Clandyboye) 73 74

T7 148 Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) 74 74

T11 150 Mairead Martin (Killarney) 71 79

T17 152 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) 75 77

T34 157 Valerie Clancy (Killarney) 79 78

CUT

T42 158 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) 81 77; Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) 79 79

T48 161 Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 81 80

T51 162 Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel) 82 80 

T54 165 Louise Coffey (Malone) 88 77

T56 166 Jenny Fawcett (Shandon Park) 86 80; Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) 81 85 

T58 167 Hilary Hall (Enniscrone) 86 81; Be Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) 83 84; Rachel Thompson (Cork) 82 85

62 168 Maeve Rooney (County Sligo) 84 84

RTD Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe).