One of the lesser-known sports of the Parlaympics is fast garnering support in Sydney with an Irishman helping to raise its profile. Boccia, played by athletes with cerebral palsy, has drawn big crowds with players performing in front of full stands.

"The following venues have reached capacity", music to the organisers' ears, is becoming a regular announcement around Olympic Park, with boccia more often than not topping the list.

And the game, a sort of cross between French boules and indoor bowling, has made something of a star out of Cork's Johnny Cronin. His flamboyant style and obvious passion have made the 31-year-old a cult hero in the main arena and as yet Cronin is unbeaten.

Cronin can find it difficult to articulate himself, severe spasms causing disjointed speech. But while on the court the crowd and officials are left in no doubt as to his assessment of his own performance, regular outbursts making his feelings quite clear.

"He's a real character," boccia coach Liam Harbison said of his leading man. "He's taken the crowd in here by storm."

Cronin does not have the use of his hands and his body twitches and jerks in the chair. To play the game he must direct "throws" with a pointer attached to his forehead which he uses to control the balls on a special ramp. The accuracy he achieves is nothing short of remarkable.

Four emphatic victories in the pool stages led to yesterday's quarter final match-up with another member of the Irish squad, Stillorgan's Margaret Grant. Predictably, it was Cronin who took the win and will now face the joint top-seed, Portugal's Armando Costa, in a semi-final that should decide the gold medal.

There were touching scenes after the match, Cronin embracing Grant in a bittersweet moment.

"I didn't like it," he said of the win. But it was "brilliant" to be in the semi-finals and he is now - and, in his own inimitable way, confident of gold.

Also through to today's semi-finals, albeit in a separate class, is Gay Shelley from Bagenalstown. "It's great," he said of the achievement. Should one, or even both score a gold, confidence will soar ahead of the team competition, where hopes are also high.