SALLY Corscadden's Irish eventing team of Cathal Daniels, Sam Watson, Ciaran Glynn and Sarah Ennis, are in sixth place overall of 12 teams on a score of 103.3 following Saturday's cross country phase at the FEI Eventing European Championships in Luhmühlen.

The home team from Germany lead on 80.50 with Britain second on 92.80 while France are in third on 93.60. Italy are in fourth on 99.2 with Sweden in fifth on 101.1 just ahead of Ireland.

Galway's Cathal Daniels (22) is in contention for an individual medal after an impressive clear round inside the time with the Irish Sport Horse Rioghan Rua. He is less than a fence off the medal places on his dressage score of 29.0.

Ciaran Glynn also went clear within the time with November Night (ISH) (TIH) and is in 23rd place on 35.5. Sarah Ennis and Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH) are in 30th on 38.8, Sam Watson is 43rd with Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH) and Tony Kennedy is 46th with Westeria Lane (ISH). Germany's Michael Jung leads on a score of 20.90.

Irish team manager Sally Corscadden said: "Great performances today from the team. An unfortunate wrong line for Sam was expensive for us but we’re very proud of the way our riders tackled the cross country and it has been a valuable learning experience for Tokyo, competing in high temperatures in the afternoon.

"A brilliant cross country round from Cathal [Daniels] sees him in contention for an individual medal and it’s still close going into the jumping tomorrow so we’ll hope to keep the pressure on the teams ahead of us.

"This has also been a great experience for our individual rider Tony Kennedy with Wisteria Lane."

The European Eventing Championships are also an Olympic qualifier, however the Irish team have already qualified for Tokyo following their silver medal win at last year's World Championships.

The 2019 team and individual medals at the 2019 FEI Eventing European Championships in Luhmühlen will be decided following Sunday's show jumping phase.

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Source: Horse Sport Ireland press release