ROWING:Cork Boat Club won a fine battle in the Wyfold Cup for club fours, to give Ireland a bright spot on the first day of Henley Royal Regatta.

Queen’s University bowed out against seeded crew Imperial College in the Prince Albert for student coxed fours and Trinity were beaten in the Temple Cup for student eights by the University of Michigan despite leading for the first half of the race.

The victorious Cork crew took the lead against Cardiff City early but the Welsh would not let them get away.

“It was a tough one,” said the delighted bowman John Paul Collins.

“We led off the start but they stuck with us. After the Barrier (637 metres into the 2,112) they clawed back the lead. We went for a push and managed to pull out half a length. Coming into the Stewards Enclosure – the finish – we were more or less neck and neck. We did our last push then and managed to win by a length.”