Sports Digest/Athletics: A cool and breezy evening in Santry - a million miles from the conditions expected in Athens in eight weeks - didn't help the few Irish athletes hoping to finish their search for Olympic qualification, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Instead, the Dublin International meeting found its highlight in the Morton Mile, where James Nolan, already Athens-bound in the 1,500 metres, proved the coolest act.
As if tempting the small crowd, Nolan ran close to four-minute pace for the first three laps - before taking the lead some 700 metres from home. Pressed by Australia's Mark Tucker on the final lap, Nolan hit the finish with perfect timing - clocking three minutes 59.99 in the process. The fun way of breaking the great barrier.
In third and fourth were the two Irish juniors, Mark Christie and Danny Darcy, who ran bests of 4:03.78 and 4:08.52 respectively.
There was no joy though for any of the sprinters hoping to add their name to the Irish team for Athens, seven days before the door closes on qualification. Yet Paul Hession still had three impressive wins over 100, 200 and as part of the 100-metre relay.
Paul Brizzel has already secured the required time over 200 metres, and Hession and Gary Ryan were looking to join him. Hession managed to edge out Brizzel and Ryan, but his 20.96 was outside the 20.59 required for Athens. Brizzel (21.03) and Ryan (21.09) seemed surprised by Hession's dashing finish.
Ciara Sheehy, though, was well off the mark in the women's 200 metres, taking third in 24.04 - over a second outside the required time. South Africa's Heidi Seyerling took the win there in 23.68.
And in the 400 metres, the Irish trio of Rob Daly, David McCarthy and Tomás Coman were all chasing the elusive 45.55 they needed to make Athens - but once again fell well short. Daly came closest when taking second to England's Jerard Deacon's 46.32, but his 46.57 ultimately proving disappointing.
Taking deserved victories earlier in the evening were Dundrum's Joe Sweeney, who front-ran his way to a 3,000 metre win in 8:26.42, as did Donore's Jolene Byrne in the women's 1,500 metres - clocking 4:26.79.
HOCKEY: The Irish men's and women's senior teams made inauspicious starts in the annual Celtic Cup tournament which got under way at Belfield yesterday, with both having to settle for draws against Wales. The only consolation for the men was that the other pairing between Scotland and France also ended on level terms.
Ireland, who lost the title last year to Scotland on goal difference, never got on top of a sprightly Wales outfit.
Even when Wales had Graeme Egan and Oliver Cooper in the sin bin, the Irish attack could make little dent in the Wales rearguard.
For the women, Lynsey McVicker, the Irish captain, set the mood by scoring after only two minutes play popping in a rebound from a short corner. But missed chances by Kristin Farrell and McVicker came back on Ireland on the stroke of half-time when Wales captain Georgina Sharples scooped in a short corner.
Linda O'Neill regained the lead for Ireland on 48 minutes by winning a short corner and scoring direct from the set-piece. Five minutes from the end Sarah Thomas took a switch pass from a short corner to beat Nikki King.
CELTIC CUP TOURNAMENT (at Belfield) - Men: Ireland 0 Wales 0; Scotland 1 (D Ralph) France 1 (T Gouran). Women: Ireland 2 (L McVicker, L O'Neill) Wales 2 (G Sharples, S Thomas).
Today - Men: France v Wales noon; Ireland v Scotland 4.0. Women: France v Wales 10.0; Ireland v Scotland 2.0.
