From Brian Keogh at Ballyliffin

Des Smyth produced some of his best golf of the season to stand on the verge of an historic Irish Seniors Open victory at Ballyliffin.

Without a top-10 finish for nine months, the 55-year-old etched out a three under par 68 on the windswept Old Links to take a one stroke lead over Spain's Juan Quiros and England's Gordon J Brand on three-under par.

After firing five birdies and just two bogeys, Smyth is bidding to become the first home winner of the title since Joe McDermott in 1998

"This is a title I would want to win more than any other apart from the British Seniors," said Smyth, who is hoping that win in Ireland will boost his confidence on the Champions Tour, where he is struggling to keep his card.

"Last year I won in Wentworth and went back to the US and had some good finishes. I'd love to win tomorrow and I will be giving it my best.

"I had a 66 within my reach but just let it get out of my hands today. Still I played well and I am very pleased with a 68.

"I'd prefer if the wind didn't blow too hard tomorrow. People say I am a great wind player but. I don't want to be trying to hang on to par on every hole."

Scots Bill Longmuir and Sam Torrance both shot 70 to lurk just two strokes behind Smyth on one-under par with Cork's Denis O'Sullivan (70) in a five-man group on level par that also includes defending champion Costantino Rocca.

Former Masters champion Ian Woosnam and Spain's Domingo Hospital equalled the best round of the week with four under par rounds of 67 moving them to within four strokes of the lead on one-over.

Overnight leader Alan Tapie followed his 67 with an 83 to crash out of contention on eight-over par.

Irish Seniors Open, Ballyliffin GC, Old Links (Par 71)

After 36 holes:

139 D Smyth (Irl) 71 68

140 J Quiros (Esp) 71 69, G Brand (Eng) 70 70

141 S Torrance (Sco) 71 70, B Longmuir (Sco) 71 70

142 E Rodriguez (Esp) 73 69, D Russell (Eng) 72 70, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 72 70, C Rocca (Ita) 71 71, A Barrera (Arg) 70 72

143 D Hospital (Esp) 76 67, I Woosnam (Wal) 76 67, J Chillas (Sco) 72 71

144 D Cambridge (Jam) 73 71, D Merriman (Aus) 72 72, D Good (Aus) 71 73, N Job (Eng) 71 73, S Owen (Nzl) 71 73, G Cali (Ita( 69 75

145 C Mason (Eng) 75 70, J Sallat (Fra) 73 72, A Murray (Eng) 73 72, T Giedeon (Ger) 73 72, J Bland (RSA) 72 73, M Piñero (Esp) 71 74, L Carbonetti (Arg) 69 76

146 G Encina (Chi) 75 71, T Gale (Aus) 75 71, A Franco (Par) 74 72, K Spurgeon (Eng) 74 72, S Lyle (Sco) 73 73, B Cameron (Eng) 72 74, T Charnley (Eng) 72 74, B Charles (Nzl) 71 75

147 P Teravainen (USA) 77 70, J Rhodes (Eng) 73 74, B Heuchan (Can) 73 74, K Tomori (Jpn) 71 76

148 A Fernandez (Chi) 75 73, G McGimpsey (NIr, am) 75 73, T Allen (Eng) 74 74, L Higgins (Irl) 73 75, A Sowa (Arg) 72 76

149 J Benda (USA) 77 72, E McMenamin (Irl, am) 74 75, H Carbonetti (Arg) 74 75, E Polland (NIr) 74 75, P O'Hagan (Irl) 74 75, B Lincoln (RSA) 73 76, R Drummond (Sco) 73 76,

150 M Gray (Sco) 80 70, I Mosey (Eng) 80 70, E Darcy (Irl) 77 73, T Price (Wal) 76 74, J Hall (Eng) 76 74, M Poxon (Eng) 75 75, S Ebihara (Jpn) 75 75, J Rivero (Esp) 74 76, J Hoskison (Eng) 73 77, A Garrido (Esp) 73 77, A Tapie (USA) 67 83

151 P Oakley (USA) 78 73, P Leonard (NIr) 77 74, M Bembridge (Eng) 77 74, J Heggarty (NIr) 76 75, S Ginn (Aus) 74 77, T Johnstone (Zim) 74 77

152 P Dugeny (Fra) 74 78, T Rastall (Eng) 73 79

153 M Miller (Sco) 77 76, B Boyd (USA) 77 76

154 V Smyth (am) (Irl) 77 77

155 B Larratt (Eng) 74 81

157 J Bruner (USA) 78 79

165 G Hopkins (USA) 83 82