EQUESTRIAN SPORT: It's crunch time for Ireland's show jumpers. In an almost mirror image of September 2005, Team Ireland are battling to avoid relegation in the Samsung Super League and the venue for tomorrow's big showdown is, once again, the Catalan capital of Barcelona.
Just over a fortnight ago, the quartet of Marie Burke, Shane Breen, Billy Twomey and Cameron Hanley pulled out all the stops to finish sixth at the world equestrian games in Aachen, Germany, missing out on Olympic qualification by just one slot.
Burke, Twomey and Hanley are back in action for the Spanish decider, but they'll be minus their Aachen team-mate Breen.
His horse, World Cruise, was diagnosed with a lung infection after the world games and although it has been successfully treated with antibiotics, it was decided not to risk the 11-year-old son of Cruising by asking him to jump so soon after his recovery.
The three remaining Aachen campaigners have now been joined by Cian O'Connor and Captain Shane Carey and the Army rider has already been in the winner's enclosure at the Barcelona Polo Club showgrounds, scoring on Thursday and just missing out on the double when finishing second in yesterday's accumulator.
Carey, O'Connor, Twomey and Breen defied the odds 12 months ago to spare Team Ireland relegation, but is it asking too much to expect the Irish riders to produce another miracle in Spain and claw their way out of the danger zone at the bottom of the league standings for the second year in a row?
Not according to Splaine. He believes they can turn the tables on the Swedes, just over two points ahead in the league table, and the Dutch, a further two points clear.
With double points on offer tomorrow, that narrow margin could close in Ireland's favour, but only if Splaine's squad finish well up the order and ahead of Sweden and the Netherlands.
The Dutch started the season badly, vying with the Irish for the bottom rung of the Samsung Super League ladder, but they got their act together in time to claim team gold in Aachen.
And the Swedes, relegated in the league's first season in 2003, are still smarting after finishing 12th at the world games.
So the Irish will have their work cut out.
It's a tall order and Splaine must be uncomfortably aware that his three-year contract could be terminated prematurely if his team fail to deliver in Barcelona.
After all, Eddie Macken was fired as team trainer when his riders weren't performing early in the 2004 season, although he was subsequently reinstated.
So the Corkman will select his quartet for tomorrow afternoon's clash with great care, knowing that he needs everyone - both humans and equines - firing on all cylinders if Ireland are to remain in the Super League for the 2007 season.
