Cian O’Connor is clinging to a slim hope he will line out in tomorrow’s show jumping final, despite failing to make it through yesterday’s third round.

Nobody, with due respect to dressage rider Anna Merveldt, would expect her to win a medal in the Olympics... least of all herself.

The temperature in Rome was high yesterday, matched by the spirit in the Irish camp, if Billy Twomey is any sort of barometer.