Ireland team reach relay final on last night in Paris; McSharry, Walshe and Fannon out for individual honours

Ireland's national team secured its place in the women's 4x100m medley relay final during the final night of the European Aquatics Championships in Paris. The team, consisting of Mona McSharry, Lottie Cullen, Ellie McCartney and Grace Davison, qualified with a time of 4:00.95, finishing seventh in their heat. The result sets up a thrilling finale for the squad on Sunday evening. McSharry, one of Ireland's standout performers, has already claimed silver and bronze medals at the championships. She will compete in the 50m breaststroke final before joining her teammates in the relay final within less than an hour. In the morning heat, McSharry swam the breaststroke leg in 1:04.75, contributing to the team's overall time. She expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting that she aimed for a 1:04 finish and was pleased with how the relay unfolded despite the longer distance compared to her recent 100m breaststroke victory. Cullen took charge of the backstroke leg, completing it in 1:01.25. Her effort helped secure the team's position in the final, following a strategic decision to give her the spot instead of Danielle Hill, who had previously competed in the 50m backstroke final. Cullen shared her excitement about the opportunity, expressing gratitude towards Hill and acknowledging the support they've received throughout the competition. Ellie McCartney handled the butterfly leg, clocking 1:01.83, while Davison completed the freestyle leg in 54.12. The team celebrated their near-personal best performance, with Davison highlighting the intensity of the final leg and the supportive atmosphere created by the crowd. The Irish team's efforts were recognized with an Irish record for the men's 4x100m medley relay, achieved by John Shortt, Jack Kelly, Jack Cassin and Evan Bailey, who finished 10th in 3:33.74. Shortt, who struggled in the men's 50m backstroke, found renewed motivation in the relay. He acknowledged his disappointment from the previous day but emphasized his focus on supporting his teammates. Cassin noted the importance of effective transitions in achieving the record, stating that a slower initial turnover nearly cost them the achievement. In other events, Tom Fannon is set to compete in the men's 50m freestyle final, while Ellen Walshe will return to the pool for the women's 200m butterfly final. Walshe will also substitute for Ellie McCartney in the relay, taking over the butterfly leg. The schedule includes multiple finals on Sunday evening, including the women's 4x100m medley relay final, which will take place at 7:02pm local time.