IRELAND’S RIDERS SAVED their best for last as they charged up the standings to finish fifth in the team eventing competition.
Double clear rounds from Joseph Murphy and Aoife Clark, as well as brilliant ride from Mark Kyle, helped Ireland leapfrog Australia and the USA on the final day of competition in Greenwich Park.
The gold medal was won by Germany (133.70), with Zara Phillips and Team GB delighting the home crowd by taking silver (138.20) ahead of New Zealand (144.40).
Sweden finished fourth with 148.40 penalty points with Ireland next on 184.80.
This morning’s performances were also good enough to see all three through to the individual final which takes place later this afternoon.
Lying in eighth place overnight, the three remaining Irish riders had their work cut out for them following a slow start in the dressage and the disappointment of losing Camilla Speirs and Michael Ryan in yesterday’s cross-country.
Kyle knocked one fence and picked up two time faults before Murphy and Clark both put in perfect jumps to move up the standings.
Clark (Master Crusoe) starts this afternoon’s individual final in 12th place, Murphy (Electric Cruise) is in 24th, and Kyle (Coolio) is in 32nd.
