ROWING/Gannon and Corcoran Cups:Trinity take on UCD in the Gannon Cup for men's senior eights on the Liffey tomorrow (3.15) in a contest which carries echoes of the big rugby match of the day
"If they do 70 to 90 per cent of what they've done so far they should win it. But we're going out taking nothing for granted." Eddie O'Sullivan talking about Ireland and the Triple Crown? No, Trinity coach Mark Pattison on his crew's chances in the Gannon, sponsored by Boru Vodka.
Trinity will be raging-hot favourites to record their third victory on the trot after wins at the Lagan and Erne heads, and they have five of the crew which won last year's Gannon. Belfast man Eoghan Kerlin, who returned to his native place as stroke for the Lagan Head, is again in the stroke seat.
Also driving Trinity on is their loss at the Neptune head, when they produced a good performance in the slower second race and Commercial's intermediate crew, who had raced well in the first head, took the honours.
UCD have raced intermediate this season, without notable success. "Form from all the heads shows they are lengths faster than us. I don't expect us to bridge that gap," says UCD coach John Holland.
The Corcoran Cup for women (2.50) gives UCD a chance for some senior glory on the day, but the student crew does not boast all the big hitters of the powerful showing at the Dublin head.
"I'm expecting a tight race," says Holland.
In all there are four races from O'Connell Bridge to Frank Sherwin Bridge, with the novice women's test at 2pm and the novice men's race at 2.25.
Trinity's senior men's eight, who have their hearts set on a good performance in the Temple Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in July, travel on to London Head and Ghent in preparation. But first up is the Gannon, and Pattison is conscious there are no certainties in the unique conditions of the walled stretches of the River Liffey.
Ireland head coach Harald Jahrling has been deeply frustrated by the recent poor weather, which abbreviated last weekend's national trial, and taking his squad to Cassien in France this month looks perspicacious.
On the weightings which measure each athlete on percentage of world best time, Sinéad Jennings was the most impressive performer at the trial, with Eugene and Richard Coakley second and third respectively, and Seán Jacob fourth.
New Zealand have already chosen their team for the international season, as well as a senior men's eight for the World Championships in Munich. Ireland team member Seán O'Neill might just be cheering them on. The Limerick man spent much of the last decade in New Zealand, and teamed up with Rob Hellstrom to win national pairs titles in 2002, 2003 and 2006. Hellstrom is part of the eight for Munich.
Crews for Colours Races: Gannon Cup (Senior Men) - Trinity: D Cummins, G Doherty, E Mac Domhnaill, R Swift, R Horner, E Roffe Silvester, J Calnan, E Kerlin; cox: G Magee; UCD: O Burke, R Hanratty, M O'Keeffe, D Rasidovic, T Doyle, T Duggan, R Skelly, D Tanner; cox: P Wall.Corcoran Cup (Senior Women) - UCD: R Thomas, E Kearney, N Fearon, K English, C Coburn, S Gannon, C Thornton, S Cuddy; cox: A McGreal; Trinity: M O'Donnell, M Gallagher, K Hogan, K Sheane, A Freeney, S Geoghegan, A Walsh, M O'Donoghue; cox: E Deady.
Colours Races Times: From O'Connell Bridge: Women's Novice 2pm; Men's Novice 2:25; Women's Senior 2:50; Men's Senior 3:15.
