Olympians Moynihan and Casey reign supreme as Irish Rowing Championship begin

Olympians Cathal Moynihan and Sean Casey won the Men's Senior Double at the Irish Rowing Championships in Cork today.

The Muckross Killarney pair, who rowed in the Men's lightweight and heavyweight fours respectively at the Beijing Olympics, crossed the line just one second ahead of Queen's University. Lee Valley's crew finished in third position.

In a tight finish, Galway Rowing Club led up to the 500 metre mark, then Queen's launched an attack that put them marginally ahead but the experienced Kerry duo responded with a push which put them back in control by the 1500 metre mark resulting in their crossing the line a second ahead of the university crew.

Cathal Moynihan, delighted with a first win at the tournament said, "We saw them (Queen's) increasing their speed in the last 200 metres but we knew that we could hold them off by just maintaining our own speed."

The Women's Senior Four was an event that had no clear favourites before their boats hit the water. Skibbereen's young crew of Shelley Dineen, Ciara Fitzgerald, Denise Walsh and Orla Hayes had a convincing win over Queens University and an experienced Muckross crew. Whilst Skibbereen had a clear water win of seven seconds over second place, a mere half second separated second and third place.

It was a first and second placing for Limerick's Castleconnell Boat Club in the Men's Junior Single Scull. Neil Prendiville, won the highly sought after Championship finishing over a length ahead of his club mate, Adrian Sheehan. Andrew Griffin of Neptune Rowing Club, Dublin, finished in third place. The performances of all three athletes show great promise for their futures in the sport, with Prendiville and Griffin still eligible to compete at Junior 18 level next season.

Conditions have remained favourable at the National Rowing Centre for the morning's racing, with spectators numbers growing as the day goes on.