Ciarán racing for Euro place

Ciarán Ó Lionáird believes he has nothing to lose going into the 1500m showdown for a plane ticket to Zurich at the GloHealth National Track and Field Championships in Morton Stadium this weekend.

Four athletes — Paul Robinson (St Coca’s), John Travers (Donore Harriers), David McCarthy (West Waterford) and Ó Lionáird (Leevale) — will toe the line in the men’s 1500m final tomorrow at 4.55pm with an A qualifying time (3:39.3) for the European Championships in Zurich in August. However, only the winner is guaranteed a place on the plane. Kilkenny’s Eoin Everard is a shade outside the time but will also figure.

“I’m not too worried,” said Ó Lionáird at the north Dublin stadium yesterday after his final training session. “I’m happy to be back running well after a bad Achilles injury.”