Shane Breen: It’s onwards and upwards after Samorin effort

“All in all everyone is happy and it’s onwards and upwards from here,” said Irish rider Shane Breen after Sunday’s nations cup league opener in Samorin, Slovakia.

It was a relatively happy ending all right with Ireland taking the runner-up position, but just hours earlier the Tipperary rider might not have been expecting to sound such a positive note after he had opened Ireland’s challenge with a twelve-fault showing on Ipswich van de Wolfsakker.

Thankfully his team-mates ensured it was the discard score. Mark McAuley and Utchan de Belheme incurred just a time fault, while Paul O’Shea and Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu were immaculate before Shane Sweetnam and Chaqui Z had one fence down.