The wait for a headline Irish victory at the Cork City Sports almost ran out when Sophie O’Sullivan came storming down the homestretch in the women’s 800m, only to fall short of victory in the final dash for the line.On a warm, sunny evening at the MTU Athletics Stadium, at the same meeting where her mother Sonia often triumphed over the years, O’Sullivan had to settled for third, with Croatia’s Nina Vukovic taking the win in 2:00.41.O’Sullivan’s time of 2:01.33 was a season best by 10 seconds. Emma Moore was the next best of the Irish in fourth, the 22-year-old from Galway running 2:01.33. Britain’s Grace Van Agnew held on for second in 2:00.93.It’s a rare thing for the women’s hammer to take centre stage at any athletics meeting, and there was no regret or envy whatsoever for Nicola Tuthill when losing out to Camryn Rogers.The Bandon athlete was up against the Canadian, who has won gold at the last two World Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics. Competing for the first time in Ireland, Rogers is, in other words, the very best there is.Tuthill did briefly tease a possible upset when leading the field with her opening throw of 67.88m, Rogers hitting the cage with her first effort. Promptly composing herself, the 27-year-old Rogers then threw a massive 76.12m with her second effort, a meeting record by almost four metres – and an Irish all-comers record.Tuthill threw her best of 72.12 in the third round, just off her lifetime best of 72.73m set last month, but plenty good for second place on the evening. The 22-year-old UCD student cleared 72m with three of her throws, indicating her new level of consistency.Ireland’s Nicola Tuthill alongside Canada's Carmen Rogers of Canada after the women's hammer event. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho “Very consistent performances, so very happy with that,” said Tuthill. “And having Camryn here as well, throwing 76m, that’s pretty unbelievable. I’m always looking for more, so hoping to push that out over the next few weeks.”Tuthill will have another chance to get close to Rogers at Friday’s Morton Games in Santry, with an eye now on the Irish record of 73.21, which has stood to Eileen O’Keeffe since 2007. In the last race of the evening, Sean Aigboboh also went close to victory in the men’s 200m. Back from his first year at the University of Houston, where he’s coached by nine-time Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis, Aigboboh was leading off the bend, only for Britain’s Ebuka Nwokegi to flash past on his outside in the last 10m to take the win in 20.56 seconds, Aigboboh clocked 20.63.Cathal Doyle also produced a fast finish to nail fourth in the men’s 800m, the Dublin athlete moving down a distance to clock 1:47.62, with Sean Dolan from the US an impressive winner in 1:45.76.In the men’s mile, Reuban Reina from the US kicked hard for victory in 3:54.08, Liam Lyons also finishing fast to clock 3:57.19 to come through for fourth. David Cussan did secure the win a domestic men’s high jump with a best of 2.15m, Shane Power winning the pole vault with a best of 4.50m, Una Brice winning the women’s event in 3.40m.Earlier, Bori Akinola and Aigboboh were also just run out of a 100m victory, into a slight headwind, with Slovenia’s Anej Prapotnik taking the win in 10.24, ahead of Akinola (10.36) and Aigboboh (10.38). The women’s 100m was won comfortable by Britain’s Joy Eze in 11.44, Ciara Neville best of the Irish fourth in 11.64.Two-time Irish Olympian Sophie Becker also found herself just run out of glory in the women’s 200m. Leading into the straight, Becker was passed by Aleeya Sibbons in the last 50m, the British sprinter taking the win in 23.33, with Becker timed at 23.67, off her best of 23.43.Cork athlete Fiona Everard went into the women’s 3,000m looking to break nine minutes for the first time, and the national cross-county champion neatly judged her effort to clock 8:51.72 in sixth place. Victory there went Amina Maatong from the Netherlands in 8:45.72.