Dara Kervick’s immediate focus may be on this week’s European Indoor Athletics Championship in Prague, but the Pilltown 400m runner’s long-term goal is very much outdoors where he aims to emulate David Gillick by breaking the 45-second barrier.

Mark English is not shying away from the expectation that will rest squarely on his young shoulders when he leads a dozen-strong Irish challenge at next month’s European Indoor Athletics Championship.