#Rowing: Ireland took a second medal at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in Bulgaria today. The lightweight quadruple of Niall Beggan, Stephen O’Connor, Andrew Goff and Shane O’Connell took bronze behind Switzerland and Austria.

 Austria and Switzerland swapped the lead through the race, but the Swiss edged ahead in the final quarter. Ireland had a fine middle 1,000 metres and won their battle with Britain to gain a place in the medals. They were third as the crews drove for the line, but came within .28 of a second of catching the Austrians, who took silver.

 Ireland’s David O’Malley and Shane Mulvaney took a bronze medal in the final of the lightweight pair.

World Under-23 Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – A Final: 1 Italy 6:33.05, 2 Turkey 6:36.70, 3 Ireland (S Mulvaney, D O’Malley) 6:37.63; 4 Britain 6:45.33, 5 France 6:46.74, 6 Denmark 6:53.36.

Lightweight Quadruple Sculls – A Final: 1 Switzerland 5:50.62, 2 Austria 5:52.09, 3 Ireland (N Beggan, S O’Connor, A Goff, S O’Connell) 5:52.37; 4 Britain 5:54.55, 5 Italy 5:56.46, 6 France 5:56.82.

Lightweight Double Sculls – Semi-Finals (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final)

Semi-Final One: 1 Denmark  6:18.69, 2 Italy 6:21.85, 3 Germany 6:23.22.

Semi-Final Two: 1 Canada 6:19.88, 2 Spain 6:20.66, 3 South Africa 6:21.69; 4 Ireland (F McCarthy, J McCarthy) 6:22.56, 5 Britain 6:23.77, 6 Poland 6:42.15.

#Rowing: Ireland’s David O’Malley and Shane Mulvaney took a bronze medal at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria today. Italy won a tense race. Turkey led early on, but Italy and Ireland came through fast. With 500 metres to go, Italy had taken the lead with Ireland and Turkey just behind. In the final quarter, Italy secured first with Turkey just rebuffing Ireland to take the silver. Mulvaney and O’Malley had taken bronze a year after just missing out on a medal.

David O'Malley and Shane Mulvaney with Bronze Medal at World Under-23

World Under-23 Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – A Final: 1 Italy 6:33.05, 2 Turkey 6:36.70, 3 Ireland (S Mulvaney, D O’Malley) 6:37.63; 4 Britain 6:45.33, 5 France 6:46.74, 6 Denmark 6:53.36.

Lightweight Double Sculls – Semi-Finals (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final)

Semi-Final One: 1 Denmark  6:18.69, 2 Italy 6:21.85, 3 Germany 6:23.22.

Semi-Final Two: 1 Canada 6:19.88, 2 Spain 6:20.66, 3 South Africa 6:21.69; 4 Ireland (F McCarthy, J McCarthy) 6:22.56, 5 Britain 6:23.77, 6 Poland 6:42.15.

#Rowing: Ireland picked up more wins at the Home International Regatta in Strathclyde today. Early in the day they had won the women’s and men’s lightweight pairs. The women’s senior double of Chloe Mehigan (Cork) and Claire Feerick (Neptune) won a good battle with Scotland to take the senior women’s double, and Ireland’s junior four of Mia Jane Elliot, Zoe McCutcheon, Caitlyn Fee and Miriam Kelly also won. They are all Enniskillen rowers.

Home International Regatta, Strathclyde (Ireland Winners; early)

Men

Lightweight Pair: C Hennessy, S O’Sullivan

Women

Double: C Mehigan, C Feerick

Lightweight Pair: G Crowe, H O’Neill

Junior – Four: MJ Elliot, Z McCutcheon, C Fee, M Kelly

#Rowing: Ireland had two consecutive wins at the Home International Regatta in Strathclyde. The women’s lightweight pair of Gill Crowe and Hazel O’Neill won, and were followed quickly by the men’s lightweight pair of Colm Hennessy and Stephen O’Sullivan. At midday, Ireland’s senior women led the rankings, while England led in the boys’ and girls’ competition and in the senior men’s rankings.

#Rowing: Ireland’s lightweight double of Fintan and Jake McCarthy missed out on an A Final at the World Under-23 Championships by just one place. They finished fourth behind Canada, Spain and South Africa in an intriguing race which had a close finish.

 Spain led through through the 500 and 1,000-metre marks, with Ireland towards the back of the field. Canada took over the lead in the second half and went on to win. Behind them, Spain clung on to second. Three boats vied for the the vital third spot: South Africa, Ireland and Britain. Ireland had a good second quarter and were back in the mix with a good finish, but South Africa had the best final 500 metres and took third, less than a second ahead of Ireland. Britain were fifth.

World Under-23 Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Double Sculls – Semi-Finals (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final)

Semi-Final One: 1 Denmark  6:18.69, 2 Italy 6:21.85, 3 Germany 6:23.22.

Semi-Final Two: 1 Canada 6:19.88, 2 Spain 6:20.66, 3 South Africa 6:21.69; 4 Ireland (F McCarthy, J McCarthy) 6:22.56, 5 Britain 6:23.77, 6 Poland 6:42.15.

#Rowing: The Ireland lightweight quadruple of Niall Beggan, Stephen O’Connor, Andrew Goff and Shane O’Connell qualified for the A Final at the World Under-23 Championships today by finishing third in their semi-final. Austria won the race in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in a new best time for the Championships. Ireland, who were down the field in the early stages, had a very strong middle of the race and coming up to the line they fought it out with Italy and Germany for the crucial second and third spots. Germany lost out, taking fourth.

 The race was run in temperatures of over 30 degrees centigrade and good conditions – the best time was bettered immediately by the winners of the next semi-final, Switzerland.  

World Rowing Under-23 Championships, Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Quadruple Sculls – Semi Finals (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final) – Semi-Final One: 1 Austria 5:47.86, 2 Italy 5:48.02, 3 Ireland (N Beggan, S O’Connor, A Goff, S O’Connell) 5:48.39; 4 Germany 5:49.57.

 Semi-Final Two: 1 Switzerland 5:47.26, 2 Britain 5:49.31, 3 France 5:50.52.

#Rowing: David O’Malley and Shane Mulvaney won their repechage at the World Under-23 Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today and qualified for the A Final of the lightweight pair. The UCD men led the field through the race, with only France staying close. The two finished in that order, and both qualified for Saturday’s decider.

World Under-23 Day Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Repechage (First Two to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 Ireland (S Mulvaney, D O’Malley) 6:37.47, 2 France 6:40.28.  

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Four (First to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (F McCarthy, J McCarthy) 6:22.85; 2 Poland 6:27.26.

#Rowing: Jake and Fintan McCarthy won their heat of the lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria this morning. Poland led out the crews and held the lead at halfway. But the twins from Skibbereen were already hunting them down, and had passed them by 1500 metres. They went on to win by two lengths, taking the one direct qualification spot for the semi-finals.

World Under-23 Day Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Double Sculls – Heat Four (First to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (F McCarthy, J McCarthy) 6:22.85; 2 Poland 6:27.26.

#Rowing: Ireland’s lightweight quadruple won their heat at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today. The crew of Niall Beggan, Stephen O’Connor, Andrew Goff and Shane O’Connell gave an outstanding performance. They outpaced early rivals Denmark, and when Britain challenged in the second half they more than matched them to win by 2.73 seconds. Britain and third-placed Spain qualified directly for the semi-finals.

 David O’Malley and Shane Mulvaney finished second in their heat and must come through a repechage on Thursday to make the A Final of the lightweight men’s pair. The winner of each heat would qualify for the A Final. Ireland’s crew looked well in contention as they disputed the lead with Italy until 1,000 metres. But the Italy crew upped their rate and left Ireland behind. Their winning time was almost 12 seconds faster than the crew which won the second heat, Britain.

World Rowing Under-23 Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat One (First to A Final; rest to Repechage): 1 Italy 6:41.77; 2 Ireland (S Mulvaney, D O’Malley) 6:47.52.

Lightweight Quadruple Sculls – Heat One (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (N Beggan, S O’Connor, A Goff, S O’Connell) 5:59.39, 2 Britain 6:02.12, 3 Spain 6:03.16.