Irish hopes rest with lightweight four as pair and double fail

ROWING FINAL OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION REGATTAAND THEN there was one. Ireland's lightweight four go into today's final at the Olympic Qualification regatta in Poznan as our sole flag carriers, after both the men's pair and lightweight double failed to nail down places in today's finals.

The pair of Jonno Devlin and Seán Casey came within .26 of a second of the crucial third place in their semi-final, but the Coakley brothers, Eugene and Richard, could not break out of fifth in their race.

Completing only seven days together as a crew, the double struggled to make an impression. "We went out as we said we would, to try and be in the race from the start," said elder brother Eugene. "Unfortunately New Zealand were that bit quicker and they took Spain and Slovenia with them. When we got to the thousand (metres) we were that bit off the pace and we weren't able to get it back.

"I mean, we had only a week together, and I suppose it's caught up to us. In a quality field you're going to be found out."

In the event, this semi-final provided a startling finish. Portugal's Pedro Fraga and Nuno Mendes produced a searing last 500 metres to come from fourth to second behind New Zealand. Spain clung on to third ahead of Slovenia, whose season drained away in that final drive for the line.

The pair of Devlin and Casey, formed earlier this season, were also within touching distance of seeing action today. In an exciting race, four boats went hammer and tongs in the closing stages, with the Czech Republic, stroked by canny 40-year-old Vaclav Chalupa, winning from Italy and Spain. The Italians had led for most of the 2,000 metres only to be passed by the Czechs coming up to the line, as Spain and Ireland closed fast.

Casey had upped the rate to 36 with 200 metres to go, and Spain had to pull out the stops to hold off the men in green.

"It was a good, solid, race," said Casey. "It was one of the best, if not the best race we have put together as a pair. It was just unfortunate to come out on the wrong side of such a close finish."

This crew's development through the spring and summer has been impressive. "If you look at our progress as a pair, every time we've raced we've improved," said Devlin. Coach Harald Jahrling concurred, joking that Devlin, who joined from the British system last year "came a year too late".

The body language of the man from Kerry (Casey) and the South African-born Devlin leaves no doubt they get on well. They hope now to move into the heavyweight four, which is already qualified for Beijing.

Jahrling said there will be trials, some time after the World Cup here this weekend, in which the four, which has been campaigning alongside the pair, will compete in a new formation. Seán O'Neill swaps into the stroke seat for Alan Martin, who moves into the number three seat. James Wall and Cormac Folan complete the line-up.

Ireland will also have four lightweight women single scullers in action. Sinéad Jennings, who is being targeted at the World Championships for non-Olympic events, will be joined by Orla Hayes, who is set for the World Under-23 Championships.

Niamh Ní Chéilleachair and Orlagh Duddy are being given action to keep them sharp to the end of the season, according to team manager Mike Heskin. "Hopefully we will see them in the structure looking forward towards London (the 2012 Olympic Games)."

Today is all about Beijing, however. Heat winners Germany and Ireland will hold the middle lanes in the race for just two tickets to China. They will be flanked by Spain and Serbia, who won their repechages yesterday, leading in Switzerland and the Czech Republic, who start in lanes one and six.

Ireland's lightweight coach, John Holland oversaw his charges in training in the bright sunshine yesterday and struck an upbeat note. "I'm still quite confident. Things are going well."

If today is a good day, Ireland will have a lightweight and heavweight four qualified for the Olympics, with sharp athletes waiting in the wings to compete for seats. After the ups and downs of recent years, it would be a bright outlook.

Details in SPORTS ROUND-UP

TODAY'S PROGRAMME (Irish interest; times Irish) 10.0 - Men's Lightweight Four Final (Two crews qualify for Olympic Games): Switzerland; Spain; Ireland (C Moynihan, G Towey, R Archibald, P Griffin); Germany; Serbia; Czech Republic.