IRELAND’S MAX McCUSKER and Darragh Greene bowed out of the 50m Butterfly and 100m Breaststroke respectively on the opening night of finals at the European Swimming Championships in Rome. 

McCusker was first up this evening in the 50m Butterfly semi-final. After a fantastic start off the blocks the Dolphin (Cork) swimmer was caught to finish seventh in his heat in 23.75. It was a first senior individual semi-final for the 22-year-old who still has a number of other races to come this week. 

After a prolonged break following the Olympic Games, Darragh Greene was competing in his first international meet since Tokyo. The Longford and National Centre Dublin swimmer clocked 1:01.39 in the 100m Breaststroke to finish in 16^th place overall. Greene returns to the pool on Saturday for the 200m Breaststroke Heats. 

It is another busy day in Rome tomorrow as McCusker returns in the 100m Freestyle with Danielle Hill in the 50m Butterfly and Liam Custer in the 800m Freestyle. Mona McSharry, Niamh Coyne, and Ellie McCartney make their first appearance of the Championships in the 100m Breaststroke, as does Robbie Powell in the 100m Freestyle. And Ireland will be represented in the Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay by Danielle Hill, Eoin Corby, Brendan Hyland, and Victoria Catterson.

Day 1 Results

Men 50m Butterfly                                         Max McCusker                 23.61 (14^th)         SF 23.75 (15^th)

                                                                                Brendan Hyland                24.19 (  38^th)

Women 100m Freestyle                               Danielle Hill                         56.39 (22^nd)

                                                                                Victoria Catterson            56.39 (22^nd)

Men 400m IM                                                   Liam Custer                        4:31.43 (19^th)

Men 100m Breaststroke                               Darragh Greene                 1:00.75 (10^th)     SF 1:01.39 (16^th)

                                                                                Eoin Corby                          1:01.47 (24^th)

Women 800m Freestyle                               Grace Hodgins                   8:57.87 (19^th)

Day 2 Schedule

Women 50m Butterfly                                  Danielle Hill

Men 100m Freestyle                                      Max McCusker, Robbie Powell

Women 100m Breaststroke                        Mona McSharry, Niamh Coyne, Ellie McCartney

Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay                 Ireland (Danielle Hill, Eoin Corby, Brendan Hyland, Victoria Catterson)

Men 800m Freestyle                                      Liam Custer