McCann was drawn in the third of three heats and, with three time qualifier spots available in addition to three automatic spots, it meant he went to the line knowing a top-six finish in under 3:44 would both see him through and also eliminate team-mate Andrew Coscoran, who’d beaten him to the Irish 1500m record last weekend in Birmingham.

Every man for himself at this level, of course, and McCann duly charged to the lead on the third last lap, keeping the pace honest, before fading to fifth at the finish, his time of 3:41.51 putting him through.

“Jesus Christ, it’s the first final I’ve made, it’s my fourth senior championship,” he said.

“I’ve had disasters, disqualifications, pushing, shoving, I almost fell at the end as well and was like, ‘Here we go again,’ but I’m just relieved.

"I knew on the start line I’d have to bottle it pretty bad not to make it. I was s***ing myself, so I’m really glad I’ve ticked that one off the bucket list. Hopefully, I can kickstart a better international career.”

Tomorrow night’s final will see him go up against Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and British record holder Neil Gourley, but McCann knows the bronze medal could be there for the taking.

“I know those two are a class above, but third is as open as can be and that’s rare,” he said.

Coscoran, meanwhile, could only wonder what might have been, having resisted the temptation to push the pace early and waited, conserving his fuel for the last-lap burn-up.

He got trapped in a box while that was unfolding, and when he finally saw daylight, it was too late, his fourth place in 3:44.11 not enough.

“I was trying to be too relaxed, waiting for a gap to open and it never opened,” he said. “I had the fitness there to charge around in lane three and I didn’t do that. I got stuck and couldn’t get through.”

John Fitzsimons finished fourth in his heat of the men’s 800m, clocking 1:49.36, a tough draw ultimately his undoing rather than any major tactical error. “It’s disappointing, I gave it my best shot, I ran okay, but I don’t think I was aggressive enough when I needed to be,” he said.

There was a major blow to Irish medal chances earlier in the day when Mark English withdrew, having come down with illness after arriving in Istanbul.

The four-time European medallist, who was Ireland’s strongest chance of a podium finish, said: “I came here in great shape, but unfortunately I’m not in a position to do myself justice.”

Many more Irish are in action tomorrow, with Kate O’Connor hoping to build on her Commonwealth Games silver medal by making an impact against Europe’s best in the pentathlon. Sophie Becker, Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker will go in the 400m heats, while Joan Healy will race the 60m.