Anybody with an interest in middle-distance running will remember the golden era of Coe, Cram and Ovett, when the British trio dominated the discipline for nearly a decade. That's all changed in recent years as the country struggled to fill an 800metre team for this week's European Championships in Budapest, and the future continues to appear bleak.

Ireland, however, has three competitors in the event for the first time at a major championships, and all of them have the potential to make the final, and even sneak into the medals.

Add to that the fact they're all under 25, highly talented and hungry for success, and it's fair to say that Irish 800-metre running has never looked better.

David Matthews is already a veteran of two World Championships and an Olympic Games, James Nolan was our most outstanding junior at the distance, and James McIlroy makes his debut following a huge breakthrough this season. The three have a lot in common. All three are home born and bred, avoiding the American collegiate system that has turned out so many of our stars in the past. Two of them, Matthews and Nolan, share the same club (UCD) and coach (Noel Carroll) as well as being regular training partners. Their form also suggests peak fitness going into Budapest after a series of personal bests this season. None of them have anything to lose and all to gain when they head into action on Friday morning.

It's Matthews who leads the way with his Irish record of one minute 44.82 seconds, set three years ago in Italy. Now 24, the Leixlip man made his senior debut at the European Championships in Helsinki four years ago and was a bronze medallist at the European Juniors in 1993. At his first World Championships in Gothenberg two years later he was fourth in his heat and went one step further at the Atlanta Olympics.

Last season he was edged out of semi-final place in Athens in a highly-competitive World Championships and ended the year with a most credible 1:45.38.

This year he missed nearly three months of training in the spring through injury. However, he has got himself back in shape just in time for Budapest and qualified late with a 1:46.76 in Sheffield two weeks ago. "I wouldn't be going to Budapest if I didn't think I could make the final. I'm not in the sport for the trips any more and in any championship, experience will go a long way."

Matthews joined Nolan in making the final at the European Indoor Championships in Valencia in February. After a brave bid for glory, Matthews faded to sixth, while Nolan burst through for fourth place - inches outside the medals. The amicable rivalry was renewed again last month, with Nolan claiming the national title by the closest of margins.

"We train together and live together so obviously it can get a bit tense at times," says Nolan on the training relationship. "But we definitely help each other and at the end of the season can have a laugh about it."

Noel Carroll is the man responsible for guiding Matthews and Nolan through the junior ranks. The former Irish record holder and Olympian at the distance spotted both talents early and has carefully plotted their progress up to this point.

"Noel puts the whole structure into our training," says Nolan. "He's a great motivator and a great person. He's there for everything - not just the coaching."

Nolan has claimed every national junior honour since the age of 10 and surpassed Matthews' junior record with his 1:47.55 two years ago. Last season he ended up fourth in the European Juniors and this year has taken his personal best down to 1:46.64 as well as recording a memorable victory at the Cork City Sports.

The 21-year-old Offaly man has a clear idea about where his running career is going. "I've always seen myself as a championship runner, and while the immediate aim is to make the final at Budapest, I think it will be the next European Championships when I do some serious damage."

The success of Matthews and Nolan makes McIlroy's rise all the more spectacular. It was just over a year ago when he started taking the sport seriously, breaking two minutes for the 800 metres for the first time and then improving to 1:51.80 at the National championships. Before that the Larne native concentrated on soccer and golf - with some success. As well as representing Northern Ireland at under-17 level in soccer, he now plays off a four handicap at golf.

"As well as his great talent I think his big strength is his concentration," says his coach, Sean Kyle, who spotted his potential early. "Maybe that came from his golf, but he has remarkable focus when it comes to racing and nothing will put him off. There are competitors in every race though few contestants and he definitely falls into the latter."

That attitude took him to a personal best of 1:45.32 last month - and a fourth-place finish amongst a field of Africans at the Nice Grand Prix. Kyle says he is "a complete novice at this level", but a place in the final is a realistic aim.

The Olympic Champion, Vebjorn Rodal of Norway, is out of action this season with a broken toe. World record holder Wilson Kipketer, formerly of Kenya and now Denmark, is, on paper, head and shoulders above the rest. Still, it will be an eight-man final with three medals up for grabs. Three Irishmen all want to make it there.