Paul O’Donovan relishes shot at John Keohane

Skibbereen Regatta, the first Grand League event of the season, will see Ireland internationals take on club crews on Sunday at the National Rowing Centre. The regatta had to be moved from its two-day slot last month because of the unpredictable weather.

The Division One men's single sculls sees a reprise of the rivalry between Paul O'Donovan and John Keohane. O'Donovan was fourth in the world in the lightweight single in 2014, but he was beaten by Keohane in the Irish Championships.

Paul and Gary O'Donovan also team up in a Division One double and should win – they form the Ireland lightweight double which campaigned well at the international regatta in Piediluco in Italy last month.

There will be an Ireland international crew in the Division One quadruple, as the Ireland junior crew of Andrew Goff, Patrick Munnelly, Eoghan Whittle and Colm Hennessy will compete.

Represent Ireland

This is one of five crews which have been chosen to represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, the European tournament for juniors in

Hungary

in August.

There is a boys’ and girls’ double and pair. A girls’ single sculler will be added after the Irish Championships in July.

The Ireland lightweight four that will go to the European Senior Championships at the end of May is also entered on Sunday.

The action for the weekend starts at Portadown on Saturday where there is a mainly local entry.

The international programme has been held up somewhat by the slow return of the boats – stuck in Italy after a breakdown in an Italian tunnel. It is understood that the decision on the women’s lightweight single for the European Championships will be made after a test race. Sinéad Jennings has excelled in trials, but Siobhán McCrohan did well at the regatta in Piediluco.