KILKENNY star Eileen Rose Power, surprisingly left out of the Britain and Ireland side which beat the Americans at Killarney last weekend, gave her perfect response to the omission yesterday by leading the 64 qualifiers into the knockout stages of the British Women's Open Amateur Championship at Hoylake.

For the second successive day, 28 year old Power fired a two under par 72 for a 36 hole total of 144 and a one stroke advantage over Scotland's Curtis Cup player Janice Moodie.

In much kinder conditions than those of, Wednesday, Power produced birdies at the first, sixth, eighth and 16th and only dropped shots at the 11th and 12th.

Lillian Behan, of the Curragh, also qualified on 154, Tricia Mangan, of Ennis, improved by four strokes and Rossmore's Michele McGreevy marched on, too, with a 152 total.