Shooting

Coming off the back of a recent strong performance in Minsk, a final round score of 24 saw Irelands Derek Burnett finish one target short of a place in what would have been his second consecutive ISSF World Cup Final as today's Olympic Trap competition concluded in San Marino.

Irish Olympian Derek Burnett made the final in the ISSF World Cup at Minsk, Belarus with a convincing qualification performance of 118. During the final Burnett scored steadily for a round of 23 and moved up one position in a charged and very competitive final which was won by Italy’s Giovanni Pellielo. Burnett was unfortunate to miss a shoot off for the bronze medal by a single target. Ireland's Philip Murphy finished just outside the final cut off with an impressive joint 8th on 116.

Ireland’s Derek Burnett made the final with a convincing qualification performance of 118. During the final itself Burnett scored steadily for a round of 23 and moved up one position in a charged and very competitive finale which was won by Italy’s Giovanni Pellielo. Burnett was unfortunate to miss a shoot off for the bronze medal by a single target and Ireland's Philip Murphy finished just outside the final cut off with an impressive joint 8th on 116.

Following a tense evening of shoot-offs Ireland's Derek Burnett took the top prize with a score of 144 + 24 in the final to claim the overall title and his 2nd Trofeo Tiro a Volo Percetto.

Last Saturday saw three time Olympian Derek Burnett presented to President McAleese along with ICPSA High Performance/Olympic Team Manager Kevin Kilty and the Chairman of the ICPSA Edmond O'Hara.

The Ireland Team of Philip Murphy, Colin Tanner and Derek Burnett finished in a very creditable 4th place at the conclusion of the Olympic Trap event at the European Shooting Confederation European Championships in Cyprus.

The ISSF World Cup in Beijing is a test event for the forthcoming Olympic Games in August. It has attracted the largest contingent of contenders so far seen as it is a combined event with rifle, pistol and shotgun events competing simultaneously and ICPSA High Performance Director Kevin Kilty will be posting reports from China outling each days events.

The High Performance Programme has just completed a very successful training camp in Italy which featured the attendance of top international sports psychologist and high performance support staff member Professor Peter Terry. During the camp Philip Murphy won the 2nd annual Trofeo del Pecetto.

The ICPSA High Performance programme continues its build up to the first ISSF World Cup of 2008 which takes place in early April at the Olympic shooting ranges in Beijing.

ICPSA High Performance Programme members Derek Burnett and Philip Murphy were singled out at the RTE Sports Awards which were televised last night for their outstanding successes in 2007 when they won individual silver medals in Olympic Trap at an ISSF World Cup and the ISSF World Championships respectively.

Irelands World Championships Olympic Trap silver medallist Philip Murphy has shot up the listings and is now ranked number two in the world by the ISSF behind double Olympic Champion and the current World Champion and world record holder Michael Diamond.

Irelands Philip Murphy has claimed the individual Silver medal at the ISSF World Championships Olympic Trap