Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) and Ciara Mageean (UCD) will lead a strong Irish team of 41 athletes competing at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin on August 6-12.

CIARA MAGEEAN arrived at Dublin Airport yesterday in bright spirits wearing the silver medal that she won in the 1500 metres at last week’s European Junior Track & Field Championships in Estonia.

FERRYBANK’s Ann O’Shea was in record-breaking form at the Woodie’s DIY Juvenile Indoor championships in Nenagh at the weekend.

JOHN DUDDY may thank Jermain Taylor for exercising his rematch clause with Kelly Pavlik in the new year, with a world title shot for the Irish man four months later than expected proving well worth the wait.

VINNY MULVEY of Raheny Shamrocks raced to a comprehensive winning debut in the Ballycotton 10 yesterday as Ireland’s most popular road race entered a new dimension - with a record field of more than 3,000.