Irish crews still on glory trail

Rowing/Henley Regatta: Another very good day for the Irish at Henley Royal Regatta yesterday set up some interesting clashes for today - not least in the Thames Cup where the old-boys clubs of Queen's University and Trinity, Lady Victoria and Lady Elizabeth, will race.

Lady Victoria, who beat Curlew yesterday, courted controversy in the run-up to the regatta by entering a crew that had students who rowed with Queen's this season. While there was some behind-the-scenes grumbling from Lady Elizabeth, the official line was that once a crew was accepted as an entry the matter was over.

Mark Pollock, the stroke of the Lady Elizabeth crew which beat Leander yesterday, said the dispute would not be the source of any special rivalry, stressing that reaching a quarter-final at Henley was enough inspiration in itself.

"It's a nice story, but from our point of view it doesn't make a difference," said the ex-Trinity man. "If we win we won't think of them again. If we lose we will be very disappointed."

Pollock, an extraordinary competitor who is blind, was realistic in his assessment of the chances of going all the way to a win on Sunday. "I don't think either Lady Victoria or ourselves think we are the best crew here," he said modestly.

A number of other Irish crews are also in the hunt for honours after yesterday's performances.

UCD's young coxed four pulled out all the stops to beat a seeded crew, Nottingham and Union RC, in the Britannia. The UCD four, made up of brothers Diarmuid and Siaghal McColgain, Dermot O'Sullivan, Padraig Oliver and cox Fiona Mulcahycan make tomorrow's semi-final if they beat Mortlake Anglian and Alpha today.

Ireland's best hope of carrying off some silverware is the Commercial crew in the Quadruple Scull and they impressed as being fully up to the job when they beat Nottinghamshire County by three lengths yesterday. They face Tideway Scullers today and should progress.

The NUIG/Skibbbereen composite in the Visitors for coxless fours also had a handsome win yesterday, having one and a half lengths to spare over Durham University. However they face the mighty Oxford today.

In the Temple, for college eights, Trinity and Queen's University lost out to Princeton University A and Harvard, respectively. NUIG made it through, however, beating Oxford Brookes B to set up a clash with Princeton B today.

In the Fawley for schools quadruples, Methodist College, Belfast, made their exit when beaten by Star Club last evening.