Rowing National Championships: Helen Walshe of UCD ended her perfect season in the perfect way last evening when she won the women's senior single scull at the National Rowing Championships in Cork. The 23-year-old civil servant took up sculling this year and won every race she entered, both intermediate and senior, including the senior single title at women's Henley.

Her win here was all the more impressive because she faced serious competition, with Eimear and Joanne Moran of Offaly - also winners at women's Henley - pushing her at the end.

Walshe said she concentrated on getting her own performance right. "I didn't know what to expect," she said. "This time last year I never saw myself here."

NUIG's men's intermediate coxed four produced the shock of the day when they beat two crews which had performed well at Henley, Trinity and Garda.

"We didn't expect that at all," said NUIG bowman Evin Donnelly. "Before the race it was 'go out and give a good performance'."

Trinity, who finished second, pushed at 800 metres and drew level but could not master their western rivals.

The evening session was an impressive one for Galway clubs. Tribesmen's women's junior four, NUIG's novice eight and St Joseph's junior coxed four pulled off exciting wins. The stage had been set when NUIG saw off estimable opposition to win the men's senior coxless four with the crew of Alan Martin, Paul Giblin, Marc Stephens and Cormac Folan.

"We led from the first stroke," said Folan, although he went on to say the Galway/Skibbereen composite which finished second had stuck with them well. The first three crews here - the lightweight NUIG/Skibbereen composite finished third - had been placed in the same side of the draw in Henley, with NUIG also proving themselves the masters.

It was a particularly memorable day for Folan, who was winning his first senior title - on his 21st birthday. Orla Hayes of Skibbereen, who is just 18, won in the junior double scull to give her a seventh junior title.

The win for Ben Clarke and Ger Ward of Commercial in the men's junior double was one of the most impressive of the day. According to coach Gerry Cantan, these young men look as if they will not get to represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a European Championships for juniors. The bar is being set too high, Cantan thinks.

Commercial's senior quadruple scull also won. Offaly were brave to take on the formidable Commercial crew but were out of their depth. The Irish lightweight quadruple which is preparing for the World Championships might have made a race of it, but did not enter.

In the men's senior pair, Kenny McCarthy and John Forde had an impressive win, compensating for their disappointment in the Visitors' four at Henley.

The Junior coxless pair gave Matt Allum and Michael Ewing of Methodist College, Belfast, the chance to demonstrate their dominance. Next up for them is the chance to represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse as part of an eight. ...