Rowing

Image source, Getty Images

County Fermanagh duo Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney produced a storming last 500m to move from fifth to third and clinch a place in Thursday's final of the World Championships men's pair in Shanghai.

The Olympic finalists from Paris looked out of contention before an incredible sprint to the line as they overtook the Netherlands and South Africa to claim the last place available for Thursday's final.

New Zealand won the semi-final in 06:25.89 followed by Spain in 06:28.56 and Ireland in 06:29.99.

In the other semi-final, Romania were first home in 06:21.99, almost five seconds ahead of Switzerland in second with Lithuania taking third.

Siobhan McCrohan progressed to the semi-finals of the lightweight single sculls as the Galway woman placed third in her heat, while Jake McCarthy made it through to the lightweight men's single sculls semi-finals with the third-fastest time overall.

Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey won their pairs C final, while the men's quadruple sculls team of Andrew Sheehan, Adam Murphy, Brian Colsh and Ronan Byrne won their C final.

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Philip Doyle and Fintan McCarthy booked their place in Wednesday's double sculls semi-finals at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai.

The Ireland crew won the opening heat with a time of 06:20.67, over five seconds ahead of Italy in second place.

Lisburn's Doyle, who took a bronze medal home from the Paris Olympics, was selected to partner two-time Olympic champion McCarthy in the absence of Paul O'Donovan and the pair were in control of the race from the off.

However, their time was eclipsed by the other heat winners, with Romania setting the best time of the heats.

“It was just our second race together so very pleased with how it went,” Doyle told BBC Sport NI.

“The conditions here in Shanghai have been very challenging, it’s very hot and humid so we just wanted to put in a good race and we made a conscious decision to push hard just after halfway and move away from the field to make sure we were in a top two position to qualify automatically and we did that.

”We were delighted with the race but we know that Wednesday’s semi-finals will be a different undertaking and tough competition and with three places for the final it will be hotly contested.

“The combination with Fintan is going well and our friendship has helped that and is making this regatta very enjoyable.”

Belfast's Konan Pazzaia produced a second-place finish in his single sculls head to reach Wednesday's quarter-finals.

Pazzaia finished just behind Uruguay's Bruno Cetraro Berriolo who won in 06:44.44 but did enough to advance and will now seek a top-three finish on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.

Fiona Murtagh is through to the women's single sculls semi-finals as the Galway woman passed Spain's Esther Zamorano to win her heat and will race again on Friday.