ROWING NATIONAL TRIALS:ONE OF the notable elements of the assessment process for Ireland teams this season has been the closeness, in competitive terms, of the lightweight men's group. This was emphasised again yesterday at the National Trials in the National Rowing Centre in Cork when Cathal Moynihan and Niall Kenny dead-heated in the final of the lightweight single sculls.

With no competition scheduled for today because of the weather, Moynihan, a Kerryman who competed for Ireland at the Beijing Olympics, and NUIG’s Kenny will have a rest prior to tomorrow’s tests in a double sculls matrix.

Michael Maher of Commercial and Justin Ryan of Skibbereen, who finished second and third yesterday, also go into the mix for this.

Siobhán McCrohan of Tribesmen was the fastest lightweight woman, with UCD’s Claire Lambe six seconds back. Lambe, who is an under-23 athlete, was again one of the most impressive when her grade is taken into account.

Ireland performance director Martin McElroy hopes to create an international double or quadruple scull from the lightweight women’s group, and there will be a doubles matrix tomorrow.

The men’s heavyweight pair of Seán Jacob (37) and Cormac Folan (26) were always set to come out on top against two under-23 pairs, and so it proved. They had 15 seconds to spare over Anthony English and Peter Hanily – a lightweight crew – with UCD heavyweights Dave Neale and Finbar Manning further back again.

The women’s heavyweight group is limited not only in numbers – just three competed yesterday – but in eligibility.

Dublin-based Sanita Puspure and Killorglin woman Monika Dukarska, who was born in Poland, finished first and second, but both have yet to qualify for Irish passports.