Show Jumping Nations Cup: Ireland remain in last place in the Samsung Super League, despite a brilliant comeback in the second round at Hickstead that left Robert Splaine's team fifth at the finish behind a resurgent British quartet.
Marion Hughes and the brilliant Heritage Transmission picked up just a single time fault for their first tour of the track, but Hughes' three team-mates all faulted twice to leave Ireland seventh at the break and ahead of only the Swiss.
A seriously improved performance was required if there was to be even a glimmer of hope that the Irish can cling on to a place in the Super League for the 2007 season, but tough words from team manager Splaine galvanised the squad and they returned with three clean sheets to claw their way back up to fifth at the finish.
Shane Breen, winner of Thursday's Eventing Grand Prix, had lowered two late fences in the first round with World Cruise for eight faults, but the 11-year-old son of Cruising finished with the same tally at the second attempt to amplify the pressure on Breen's three team-mates.
But rather than crumple, all three rose to the occasion, with Marion Hughes first to prove her mettle, leaving all the fences standing again and beating the clock this time as well for the perfect zero. Only French anchorman Julien Epaillard could do better, producing the sole double clear of the day to help France to second behind the British.
Cian O'Connor and Echo Beach had a toe in the water and the second part of the final double down in the first round, but they produced a stylish clear second time out, before Cameron Hanley followed suit, stopping the clock with Hippica Kerman 100th of a second inside the optimum time.
A finishing total of 17 faults left the Irish one point adrift of equal third USA and Netherlands, but the result still wasn't good enough to lift the Irish off the bottom rung of the Super League ladder. Now on 12 points, Ireland are 2.125 behind the Netherlands, with the British win allowing them to vault up one place to fifth at the expense of Sweden.
"Of course it keeps the pressure on." Robert Splaine said afterwards, "but at least the others haven't surged away from us. It's proved that we do have the combinations that can deliver, but we just weren't smart enough in the first round." Splaine is planning to announce his team on Monday for the Dublin Horse Show, the last leg in the Super League before the Barcelona final in September.
Samsung Super League Nations Cup, Hickstead: Britain - 1, Britain, 10 faults; 2, France, 12; equal 3, USA and Netherlands, 16; 5, Ireland, 17; 6, Sweden, 21; 7, Germany, 33; 8, Switzerland, 66. Samsung Super League standings: 1, Germany, 35.125 points; 2, USA, 32; 3, France, 31; 4, Switzerland, 26.625; 5, Britain, 26; 6, Sweden, 18.125; 7, Netherlands, 14.125; 8, Ireland, 12.
