The Irish squad for the European Indoor Championships in Ghent at the end of the month is due to be selected immediately after the National Indoor Championships in Nenagh tomorrow and that has drawn more bigname athletes than usual to the event. Among those in action will be Mark Carroll, who is looking for a third win in eight days. A superb victory in the Wanamaker mile in New York last weekend illustrated Carroll's new-found confidence and he emphasised the point in Athens on Wednesday by leaving the experienced Italian Gennarro de Napoli stranded on the last lap of their 3,000 metres race.

Tomorrow the Corkman makes a rare appearance at 800 metres where James Nolan, who finished second to him in Madison Square Garden, will fancy his chances of reversing the placings at his specialist distance.

Another featured event is the high jump in which Brendan Reilly, who had a 2.25 metres clearance last weekend, will oppose Antoine Burke in what promises to be a fascinating duel.

Donal McCarthy and Gary Ryan are expected to dominate the sprints and Gareth Turnbull can make it four wins out of four by outpacing the opposition in the 1,500 metres.

Sharing the limelight with Carroll in Athens on Wednesday was the talented Newbridge athlete Karen Shinkins, whose national 400 metres record of 52.85 seconds was proof of an athlete running into top form at the right time, and she will want to continue that trend tomorrow.

Sinead Delahunty, third in the 1,500 metres race won by Regina Jacobs in Madison Square Garden, is returning from the States to stake her claim for a place in the Irish squad and there is also the prospect of some sharp rivalry in the sprints between Ciara Sheehy and Lena Barry.