Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean make final cut at European Athletics Championships

Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean gave Ireland reasons to be cheerful on the second day of the European Athletics Championships in Munich, making it through to their respective finals in very impressive style.

Mageean started off with a domineering presence in her 1500m semi-final before coming home in second place behind Sofia Ennaoui of Poland, who only took a decisive lead in the final straight.

The Portaferry athlete, off the back of an enthusiastically-won silver medal behind Laura Muir at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, took control of this semi-final quite early on, leading the pack around at a good pace, twice lapping in 64 seconds.

Ennaoui had in contrast remained at the back for a lot of it, but moved up from tenth to go fifth at the bell, before moving up alongside Mageean with 200m to go.

The Irishwoman was not shifted from top spot until the Pole took over in the final fifty metres, showing a kick that may come in useful in the final, both finishing five metres ahead of the chasers.

Ennaoui’s got home in 4:02,73, with Mageaan second in 4:03.03, while Germany's Hanna Klein and Romania’s Claudia Bobocea also progressed.

Speaking on the gold-medal favourite and defending champion Laura Muir, Mageean said: “Muir is obviously a class athlete. She showed me that at the Commonwealths.

“But I went out in that race with the aim of winning gold and battle for it, and I’m going to do that here. You put yourself up there. If you don’t get gold, you get silver. If you don’t get silver, hopefully you get bronze.

“But I believe I’m one of the best athletes in that field and I’m going to go out and prove it. To be on the podium, I want the tricolour around my shoulders this summer too.”

Mageean’s time far outstripped