Ireland men’s heavyweight four qualify for Olympics

The Irish men's heavyweight four of Alan Martin (NUIG), Sean Casey (Muckross), Cormac Folan (NUIG) and Sean O'Neill (St.Michael's) have sensationally qualified the boat for next year's Olympic Games in Beijing.

They finished fourth in today's B final at the Rowing World Championships in Munich; meaning they are tenth overall.

This is the first time in almost twenty years that Ireland has qualified a men's heavyweight crew for the Olympics.

Pat McDonagh and Frank Moore with cox Liam Williams raced in a heavy pair at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Niall O’Toole raced in the 1992 Olympics in the heavyweight single scull.

Ireland’s Sean O’Neill who occupies the bow seat said: "It’s magic. I’ve never been so happy coming fourth. It used to be we’d be disappointed to come fourth, but it was just qualifying. So it’s just a huge relief - a weight off. You feel lighter after all the pressure."