Golf:Ireland have dropped further from medal contention after the third round of the Women's World Amateur Team Golf Championships for the Espirito Santo Trophy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Leona Maguire, the 15-year-old French under-20 champion from Slieve Russell in Cavan, had an uncharacteristically erratic round where club selection errors and failing to rectify matters with her usually deadly short game proved costly.
In a round containing three double bogeys Leona signed for a 77; a round she will want to forget.
Danielle McVeigh, the 2009 British Ladies Strokeplay champion, endured four bogeys on the spin on the back nine to scupper her chances of a breaking par. The Royal County Down golfer had to settle for a seven over par 79.
Only Lisa Maguire, Leona’s twin sister, produced a decent performance. The teenager reached the turn in two under 34 with birdies at the second and fifth. The inward stretch started well with a couple of birdies before she dropped a shot at the 14th before it all added up to a two under par 70.
For the first time in the tournament Ireland dropped over par with their 54-hole, two over, 434 aggregate to slip down into a tie for 16th place.
Korea, meanwhile, extended their lead over America to a staggering 13 shots – they lead on 26 under compared to the Americans 13 under aggregate heading into the final round - with Germany in the bronze medal position on 10 under.
One consolation for Ireland was that despite their poor form they are still clear of the other home nations with England tied 22nd on six over with Wales a shot further back and Scotland tied 28th on 10 over in the 52-nation team event.
Ireland will seek to finish higher than their tied 24th position when the event was last played at the Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Australia in 2008.