ROWING: Muckross Rowing Club in Co Kerry may be a relatively small club, but it certainly doesn't want for determined competitors. In the recent national ergometer (rowing machine) tests, Seán Casey topped the men's heavyweight category and Paul Griffin the lightweight section, writes Liam Gorman

Muckross Rowing Club in Co Kerry may be a relatively small club, but it certainly doesn't want for determined competitors. In the recent national ergometer (rowing machine) tests, Seán Casey topped the men's heavyweight category and Paul Griffin the lightweight section.

Griffin, who is small of stature but "the toughest man in Irish sport" according to Olympic team-mate Niall O'Toole, can look back on tangible success on the water in the last year - he was the stroke man of the crew which made the lightweight four final in Athens.

Casey, however, failed to make the Olympics despite reaching the final of the qualifiers in the heavyweight single scull and he fell outside the parameters to receive funding for this year.

The man who spent a number of years competing in the United States has not been cowed. He has been training with Thor Nilsen in in Spain, and last weekend won the 1,000 metres at the FISA Team Cup in Seville.

His failure to make the final of the 500-metre race on Sunday was no surprise, as his start is not his strong suit. The victory in the longer race will not harm his chances of being cut some slack on the funding front. Irish national coach Harald Jahrling meets the Olympic Council of Ireland today determined to ease the way of what he calls his "special project".

Jahrling confided that he was aware of Casey's need for financial backing when he took up his post last month. "It was one of the first things I asked for," he said. He hopes to find a way forward, although he does concede that results on the water are the fairest way to allocate funding.

Casey is worth the effort, according to Nilsen. "Seán is physically fit and has made a lot of technical progress. With the new management of Irish rowing he will make progress."

The man who headed up the Irish elite system in the Athens Olympic cycle gives his blessing to his successor - if a little wistfully. "I have seen the programme laid out by Harald. When I had my hand in Irish rowing people were always crying that there was no money. But if you can get it, fantastic!"

Richard Archibald, another of Ireland's famous four in Athens, heads for the national time trials in Cork next weekend - but tomorrow's Lagan Scullers head of the river should give the Queen's University man some indication of how good he is in a single scull. Albert Maher and Ciaran Lewis of Commercial are among the entries, as is another Queen's man, Martin Campbell.