Local duo aiming for London selection

A Ballymore man has been named on a shortlist of ten riders and eleven horses by Equestrian's Eventing High Performance Manager, Ginny Elliott, ahead of the London Olympic Games. Joseph Murphy, 35, son of Joe and Netta Murphy, now plays a waiting game ahead of a final decision early next month. At present, Ireland is assured of a team of at least three riders at the Games, but this could increase to four or five on June 17, depending on whether other countries who secured places have sufficient eligible combinations to take up the places. Elliot will nominate the combinations for selection to the Olympic Council of Ireland on July 2 following an event at Barbury Castle in England. The shortlisted combinations are (in alphabetical order): Aoife Clark (Naas, Co. Kildare)/Master Crusoe (ISH); Capt Geoff Curran (Fenor, Co. Waterford)/Shanaclough Crecora (ISH) and The Jump Jet (ISH); Jayne Doherty (Richill, Co. Armagh)/Ravenstar (TB); Sarah Ennis (Batterstown, Co. Meath)/Sugar Brown Babe (ISH); Mark Kyle (Newcastle, Co. Wicklow)/Coolio (ISH); Joseph Murphy (Mullingar, Co. Westmeath)/Electric Cruise (ISH); Elizabeth Power (Summerhill, Co. Meath)/September Bliss (TB); Michael Ryan (Oola, Co. Limerick)/Ballylynch Adventure (ISH); Camilla Speirs (Athy, Co. Kildare)/Portersize Just a Jiff (ISH); Sam Watson (Ballyloo, Co. Carlow)/Horseware Bushman (ISH). Speaking after her announcement, Ginny Elliot said the decision to reduce the list to ten riders had been difficult due to further strong performances at Tattersalls over the June bank holiday weekend. "The reality is that all of the riders performed very well at the weekend, under real pressure, as they knew places were on the line. The combinations I named have all done well and the final selection looks like it will cause me several sleepless nights, but it's brilliant to have real choices," she said. Meanwhile, Ballinahown's Mark Rohan is fully expected to be named in Ireland's London 2012 Paralympic squad when its announced on Thursday, June 28 in the RDS Concert Hall. Mark enjoyed an incredible 2011 season, winning all six events in the UCI World Paracycling Cup series and winning gold in time trial and road race events at the UCI World Paracycling Road Championships. A former Westmeath Under-21 player, before he was paralysed in a road accident in 2001, Mark then represented Ireland at wheelchair basketball from 2005 to 2009 before he chose to focus on handcycling. Since, Mark's sensational rise to the very top of world handcycling has been nothing short of heroic, and the former Castledaly GAA star was also acknowledged this year when receiving a scholarship from Sky Sports. Mark's fine achievements were also further acknowledged when he received a Distinguished Fellowship from Athlone Institute of Technology last week, and he was also chosen as the Athlone People of the Year winner for 2011.