European hopeful Eoin Everard leads Irish challenge at Cork IT

Cork City Sports meet director Joe Hartnett is extremely satisfied with the depth of talent assembled for the 65th edition of the event despite this year’s meet clashing with a number of national trials.

Of the 52 athletes yesterday selected to represent Ireland at the European championships in Amsterdam the week after next, only 10 will be present at CIT this evening, largely owing to the fact that last weekend’s National Senior Championships fell so close to the Cork City Sports meet. Indeed, the number of international athletes competing is also down on previous years given the scheduling of a number of national trials — the British and Spanish trials were held over the weekend, while the Jamaican and USA trials start this Thursday.

“This meeting is conflicting with everything,” Hartnett said at yesterday’s meet launch in Collins’ Barracks.