Athletics Ireland confirmed yesterday that the Arizona-based Mullingar Harrier was offered a place on the team but declined to take it up because he does not feel his form is competitive enough.
They initially named two reserves on the senior men's team and have now slotted Galway's Gary Thornton into the vacancy, leaving Clare veteran Seamus Power as the sole reserve.
In the U-23 men's category, believed to be Ireland's best 'team' medal shot in Albufeira, three athletes on scholarship in America -- Cork's Ciaran O'Lionard, Waterford's David McCarthy and Dubliner David Rooney -- have all been picked to start alongside last weekend's medallists Brendan O'Neill, John Coghlan and Mick Mulhare. The latter's brother Dan is on the senior team.
Ciara Mageean was ninth in the 2009 women's junior race and, after winning a silver at world juniors and reaching the Commonwealth final since, is strongly fancied to make the podium this time.
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