Young clubs to fore

ROWING:THE IRELAND challenge for the international season ahead will be built around the talent streamed through the next assessment event in Newry in five weeks. On Thursday, 60 athletes were invited to participate, having been judged to be up to the required standard: remarkably, 23 are from two young clubs, Portora of Enniskillen (12) and Skibbereen (11).

The traditional powers have a much better senior representation, but fewer participants. Commercial and Neptune of Dublin have, respectively, five and four invitees, while St Michael’s of Limerick have four and NUIG one. Seán Casey of Muckross, who has been training in Australia, is also named.

The bulk of the athletes from Skibbereen and Portora are under 18 – Portora is a junior club – but Skibbereen’s achievement is noteworthy because the standout performer from the last trial, Mark O’Donovan, rows for Cork IT but is a Skibbereen athlete, and Justin Ryan, who rows for UCC, is also a Skibbereen man. Both are under-23 athletes.

Eugene Coakley (30), an Olympian and twice a World Championship medallist, has flirted with returning to the international scene this season. But yesterday he called time. “I think this might be the end of the line for me. I just don’t have the motivation to go again. I know the level it takes, so I don’t just want to ‘half’ do it,” he said. He thinks he will continue to row for Skibbereen at a club level.

The development camp fixed for this weekend has had to be be cancelled, as has the coaching course fixed for Enniskillen. Coach education officer Pat McInerney has, however, organised an introductory coaching course in Limerick tomorrow.