Irish duo finish on a high

It was fitting that the youngest member of the Irish Winter Olympics team carried the tricolour at last night’s lavish closing ceremony in Sochi.

Seamus O’Connor (16) became the very first snowboarder to represent Ireland at an Olympic Games and enjoyed an impressive time at Rosa Khutor, finishing 15th and 17th in the men’s slopestyle and halfpipe events.

The youngster, a native of San Diego who qualifies for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, was one of just three athletes who competed in both demanding disciplines.