The Olympic champions, Romania, wilted in the 32-degree temperatures and finished sixth. Poland grabbed the initiative and led all the way. McCarthy and Doyle charged after them, and were still second in the final quarter, when Serbia came through to push the Irish into third.
“It’s our fourth race together; we enjoyed it,” Doyle told World Rowing. “I think every race we go we’re learning, we have very different styles so we’re trying to mesh that in, but some step up against the big boys. Every time we go out we feel better – the legs feel better, the boat feels better, everything feels better. So delighted today.”
Dominic Casey, the Ireland lead coach, was customarily modest. “That was good, that was good, in fairness,” the Skibbereen man said. “Tough conditions.”
Casey said he was pleased with how the 12-crew team was doing. “We’re doing okay, holding our own.”
Fiona Murtagh had brought Ireland’s tally of A Finalists to five with a commanding win in her single sculls semi-final.
Murtagh looked cool in the heat. Spain’s Esther Briz Zamorano led until just after 700 metres when the Galway woman took over. From there she was in control. Lithuania’s Viktorija Senkute and Briz Zamorano took the other A Final places.
In the previous semi-final, the favourite for gold, Lauren Henry was a big winner – but the Briton’s time was just under a second faster than Murtagh’s, making for a promising contest in the final (7.17 Irish time on Sunday).
“I’m happy with that, it was a good semifinal,” Henry told World Rowing. “It was good to get the job done and into the big one on Sunday. Very hot, but I felt like I dealt with it well. There’s more to come, as I’m sure there will be from other people, but for a first one I’m really really pleased with it.”
Ireland’s men’s single sculler, Konan Pazzaia took second to Davide Mumolo of Italy in his C Final. The Ireland sculler stuck to his guns and tracked Mumlolo as others faded. The result places Pazzaia, who had not campaigned in this boat this season, 14th in the world.
The Ireland women’s double of Zoe Hyde and Mags Cremen looked very good as they won their B Final to place seventh in the world.
Uzbekistan were desperately holding off Ireland and the United States in the last 200 metres – but then Cremen, in the stroke seat, upped the rate and the pace and Ireland sprinted to the line. The US took second.
The women’s four placed ninth overall, taking third in their B Final. The Australians won well, and the Irish battled back from fourth to third, passing Denmark, but not quite having enough to oust Canada from second.
Ireland’s two lightweight scullers, Siobhán McCrohan and Jake McCarthy – Fintan’s twin – contest finals on Saturday.