ATHLETIC:Despite suffering a few late withdrawals Ireland are still hopeful of preserving their first league European Cup status this weekend. Both the men and women compete in the Group A division, to be staged in Vaasa, Finland tomorrow and Sunday, but with several leading European nations providing the opposition avoiding relegation will be a major challenge.
Anna Boyle is replaced in the women's 100 metres by Amy Foster, and Leona Byrne (long jump) and Aoife Hoey (triple jump) are also late call ups for the injured Kelly Proper and Sara Barry.
These losses are somewhat compensated by the addition of national record holder Róisín McGettigan in the 3,000 metres steeplechase.
"Clearly our main target here will be preserving first league status," said team manager Patsy McGonagle. "But the feeling is we will be fighting hard to stay up. We are strong in most track events but not so strong in the field events, and it may well come down to the relays. But the spirit of the team is good and everyone that's out here is ready to give it their best shot."
The women, who finished fourth last year to preserve their status, compete against Slovakia, Finland, Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and the Czech Republic - while the men, who were promoted from the second league last year, face the Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, Spain, Finland, Slovakia and Switzerland.
David Gillick is practically assured of netting maximum points in the 400 metres, his recent Irish record of 45.23 seconds almost a second quicker than the next best in the field this season, Sweden's Johan Wissmen.
Elsewhere, the KitKat Tailteann Interprovincial Track and Field finals take place in Tullamore tomorrow. The annual fixture is not only another chance for the intermediate schools' athletes to add medals to their collection but also acts as a trial for coveted places on the Irish Schools' Track and Field team to meet England, Scotland and Wales in the Schools' International to be held this year on July 21st in Newport, Wales.
The Olympic Council of Ireland has announced teams from four disciplines - athletics, swimming, gymnastics and cycling - for next month's European Youth Olympics, to be staged in Belgrade, Serbia from July 21st to 28th.
European Youth Olympics: Athletics: Niamh Whelan (100 and 200 metres), Rebecca Ffrench O'Carroll (1500 metres), Charlotte Ffrench O'Carroll (3000 metres), Gráinne Moggan (High Jump), Clare Fitzgerald (Shot), Christopher Russell (100 and 200 metres), Cathal Owens (400 metres), Eoin McDonnell (800 metres), Ian Ward, (1500 metres), Noel Collins (2000 S/C), Kourosh Foroughi (High Jump), Daniel Clifford (Discus), In swimming: Gráinne Murphy (400 and 800 Freestyle, 400 and 200 Individual Medley, 200 Butterfly), Emily Heyburn (100 and 200 Butterfly, 50, 100 and 200 Freestyle), William Ensor (100 and 200 Backcrawl, 100 Butterfly, 400 Individual Medley), Michael Dawson (100 and 200 Breaststroke). Gymnastics: Emma Gorman, Aimee O'Driscoll, Rebecca Wallace. Cycling: Stuart Henry, Charles Prendergast, Peter Williams.
