MICHAEL Blake’s senior Irish show jumping team of Galway’s Michael Duffy, Sligo’s Richard Howley, Mayo’s Michael G. Duffy and Louth’s Mark McAuley narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the Nations Cup of Prague, Czech Republic last Friday evening.

Following a day of some unlucky faults, the quartet finished fourth of 14 teams, just over a fence off the winning Czech Republic team, who secured a historic and emotional victory on home soil.