Nocher came off second best in the 200m backstroke final as Cooney delivered an awesome performance, blitzing to gold in a new Irish record of 2:13.86.

Cooney's time obliterated Nocher's record of 2:15.40 and had the NAC crowd on their feet. Nocher took silver in 2:15.00, over two seconds away from qualification for Beijing.

The City of Belfast woman knows that her hopes of making the Olympics are now all but over but Cooney, the new queen of Irish swimming, is still praying that the Olympic Council of Ireland consider her for a shot at the Games.

While she hasn't yet hit the FINA A times, Cooney's outstanding potential is there for all to see and she is now half-a-second away from the 100m 'A' time and less than a second away from the 200m mark.

When you consider that the 200m is Nocher's main event, this was an incredible display from 17-year-old Cooney.

"Last summer I was in the 2:20's so it just shows you how much I have improved," said Cooney, who should be picked for Beijing.

The ESB swimmer will now look ahead to the Dutch National championships for another chance to get even closer to the Olympic qualification marks.

Cooney said: "I would love to get the time needed for Beijing but I'm young and I have always had 2012 in London as the major goal.

"But I have got very close to the times for Beijing and hopefully I can go to Eindhoven and lower them again.

"I would love them (OCI) to pick me for Beijing but all I can do is go into the water and keep swimming my best and see what happens. It's been a fantastic four days for me, it really couldn't have gone any better - three new Irish records and I'm getting quicker and quicker."

Steven McQuillan of Ards also produced a superb performance as he won the 50m butterfly title in a new Irish record of 25.11 ahead of City of Belfast's Conor Leaney, 25.86.

Leaney set a new Irish junior record of 1:53.34 in the 200m free final in taking silver behind City of Derry's Ryan Harrison who clocked 1:52.82.

Results:

Men: 200m back: 1. Stephen O'Nolan (Trojan) 2:23.12. Dan Sweeney (Sunday's Well) 2:27.963. Michael Dawson (Ards) 2:28.96.

200m free: 1. Ryan Harrison (City of Derry) 1:52.822. Conor Leaney (City of Belfast) 1:53.34 (IJR)3. Paulius Andrijauskas (Lithuania) 1:53.94.

100m back: 1. Karl Burdis (Portmarnock) 56.862. Colm Dowling (New Ross) 58.803. Patrick Kennedy (Limerick) 1:00.58.

50m butterfly: 1. Steven McQuillan (Ards) 25.11 (ISR) 2. Conor Leaney (City of Belfast) 25.86 3. Eoin Gray (Trojan) 25.95.

4 x 100 Free relay: 1. City of Belfast 3:34.77 (ISR) 2. NUIM 3:38.773. ARDS 3:40.21.

Women: 400 IM: 1. Grainne Murphy (Limerick) 4:59.79 2. Sycerika McMahon (Leander) 5:06.463. Erin Jeffrey (Univ of Bath) 5:06.91.

200m free: 1. Clare Dawson (Bangor) 2:03.862. Niamh O'Sullivan (Kingdom) 2:05.603. Bethany Carson (Lisburn) 2:06.35.

100m breast: 1. Fiona Doyle (Limerick) 1:11.612. Eimear Browne (Lurgan) 1:14.453. Eimear Doyle (Limerick) 1:14.67.

100m 'fly: 1. Lorna Cummins (Sundays Well) 1:03.082. Laura McDonnell (Cormorant) 1:03.113. Caroline Dryzaoite (WWCRC) 1:03.98.

200m back: 1. Aisling Cooney (ESB) 2:13.86 (ISR) 2. Melanie Nocher (City of Belfast) 2:15.003. Chelsey Wilson (Enniskillen) 2:19.39.

50m free: 1. Fiona Doyle (Limerick) 27.052. Hayley Burke (Aer Lingus) 27.103. Marta Davis (Coolmine) 27.19.

4 x 100 Free relay: 1. Lisburn 4:06.1 (IJR)2. Bangor 4:07.53. Glenalbyn 4:08.6