Splaine bemoans bad luck as Irish down to last chance for Rio

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine spoke yesterday of "sacrifices" made in preparation for the Alltech World Equestrian Games, but they counted for nought as the team failed to secure a place in the Rio Olympics.

Darragh Kenny, Denis Lynch, Cameron Hanley and Bertram Allen finished in seventh place, when one place better would have put them among the five qualifying countries joined by Olympic hosts Brazil.

Splaine said that with some luck the previous day they could actually have been in the hunt for a medal.