Frank Carroll, a 43-year-old Business Director at PMPA, who swims out of the Glenalbyn Club, won an exciting finish to the Annual Liffey swim on Saturday.

Carroll, off at four minutes, 45 seconds, timed his bid with great care, taking the lead for the first time just after O'Connell Bridge.

He had a major task on hand from this point to the finish, at the Customs' House, with the back marker Eoin Fahy of Half Moon emerging from a following group.

John Egan of the Metro club proved to be Carroll's closest rival, however, but the Glenalbyn man got home with some 12 metres to spare, with Robert Gallagher, a club-mate of Carroll's, heading the pursuing bunch in third place.

Aisling Wadden of the Wicklow club took the honours in the preceding women's race, followed by Clare Conroy (ESB) and Grainne Cullen (CRC).