Philip Doyle and Fintan McCarthy booked their place in Wednesday’s double sculls semi-finals at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai.

The Ireland crew won the opening heat with a time of 06:20.67, over five seconds ahead of Italy in second place.

Lisburn’s Doyle, who took a bronze medal home from the Paris Olympics, was selected to partner two-time Olympic champion McCarthy in the absence of Paul O’Donovan and the pair were in control of the race from the off.

However, their time was eclipsed by the other heat winners, with Romania setting the best time of the heats.

“It was just our second race together so very pleased with how it went,” Doyle told BBC Sport NI.

“The conditions here in Shanghai have been very challenging, it’s very hot and humid so we just wanted to put in a good race and we made a conscious decision to push hard just after halfway and move away from the field to make sure we were in a top two position to qualify automatically and we did that.

”We were delighted with the race but we know that Wednesday’s semi-finals will be a different undertaking and tough competition and with three places for the final it will be hotly contested.

“The combination with Fintan is going well and our friendship has helped that and is making this regatta very enjoyable.”

Belfast’s Konan Pazzaia produced a second-place finish in his single sculls head to reach Wednesday’s quarter-finals.

Pazzaia finished just behind Uruguay’s Bruno Cetraro Berriolo who won in 06:44.44 but did enough to advance and will now seek a top-three finish on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.

Fiona Murtagh is through to the women’s single sculls semi-finals as the Galway woman passed Spain’s Esther Zamorano to win her heat and will race again on Friday.