Andrew Coscoran executed a good run in a messy race to make the men's 1500m final at the European Athletics Championships in Rome on Monday morning.
Coscoran hit the front as they headed for the last lap - just before a tangle at the back of the group wiped out four athletes, who tumbled out of contention.
With a top-six finish required to progress, the Balbriggan native dug deep in the last 100 metres to hang on to fifth in 3:38.52. The imperious Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen won it in 3:37.65.
"I was pretty comfortable, ticked the box today, job done," Coscoran told RTÉ Sport.
"A lot of the races I've been in this year have been scrappy. You kind of get used to a lot of pushing and shoving. I knew I wanted to stay out of that if possible.
"The fitness is there. Now it's time to show it off."
The final takes place on Wednesday night.
In the same event, there was disappointment for Nick Griggs who went in a slow-paced and tactical earlier heat.
When the kick came, Griggs could not launch a sustained attack and slipped backwards, eventually finishing 14th after clocking 3:46.66. Great Britain's Neil Gourley won it in 3:44.05.
Thomas Barr suffered an agonising close call in his 400m hurdles semi-final, finishing a courageous third to miss out on qualification for the final by just 0.04 of a second.
The top two automatically progressed, with Barr enduring an anxious wait to see if he made it as one of the fastest non-qualifiers. However the news, when it arrived, wasn't good, as Barr failed to squeeze through.
Barr was part of the 4x100m mixed relay team that so memorably delivered gold last Friday night.
"I just didn't feel that same sort of relaxed comfort that I felt yesterday unfortunately," said. "It is what it is. I kind of came out here with the emphasis on the relay and then see what happens in the hurdles.
"All things considered, to be going home with a gold medal for the mixed 4x4 is literally the stuff of dreams. I'm not going to turn my nose up at that for sure."
Third place for Thomas Barr in the 400m hurdles SF and now a wait to see if his time of 49:61 is quick enough to reach the final.#Roma2024
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 10, 2024
📺 Watch on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/q5vM0FVnHq
Elsewhere Phil Healy failed to make the semis of the women's 200m.
The Cork woman went from lane 3 but, by her own admission afterwards, didn't make the start required to really put pressure on the front-runners.
She came home in fifth place in a time of 23.51, which was not enough to earn progression. Sweden's Nora Lindahl won the heat in 22.97 ahead of Lorene Dorcas Bazolo (23.18), Gunta Vaicule (23.23), Sarah Atcho-Jaquier (23.35) and then Healy.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Healy said: "It's definitely disappointing not to make the semi. Obviously I came out here to run a lot quicker than that.
"I didn't execute the first 50 metres well enough. It's a major championship so that comes against you very quickly.
"I'll have to move my focus now to the (women's 4x100m) relay tomorrow morning. We have a great chance in the relay so I'm looking forward to coming out with the girls in the morning."
"I didn't execute the first 50 well enough."
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 10, 2024
Phil Healy on her 200m disappointment this morning as she looks ahead to the relay.#Roma2024 pic.twitter.com/k2KMjPxWtQ
Louise Shanahan missed out on the semis of the women's 800m as she came sixth in her heat, crossing the line in 2:04.81. Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson was the victor in 2:02.46.
On a busy day for Irish athletes Nicola Tuthill, in the women's hammer throw, and Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley, both in the women's 400m, will all be in final action this evening.
