SPORTS DIGEST CyclingThe official announcement of which three riders who will represent Ireland in cycling's Olympic road race on July 28th won't now be made until next week, after a last minute appeal was lodged late on Thursday, writes Shane Stokes.
Cycling Ireland confirmed yesterday Dan Martin (Garmin Barracuda), Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale) and David McCann (RTS Racing) had originally been selected, with the 21-year-old An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly rider Sam Bennett named as reserve.
However, Irish national time trial and road race champion Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma Quick Step) has appealed, feeling that he deserves a slot.
A five-person selection panel will consider the appeal which, under the criteria, can only have weight if due process and/or selection procedures weren’t followed or if there was bias or undue influence.
That panel has until tomorrow to decide if there are grounds for an appeal, and until Monday to make its ruling. If it determines that Brammeier’s argument is justified, the original three-person selection panel will be asked to consider the selection once again. In that case a final decision will be made by next Friday, or possibly earlier.
One of the three riders selected will also do the time trial on August 1st.
Revington names squad for three-match Spanish series
HockeyIrish Coach Paul Revington, who is leaving his job as national coach this month, has named 17 players of an 18-man squad for the upcoming three-match series against Spain in Santander from June 12th-15th, writes Johnny Watterson.
The final player will be added following this weekend’s training session in Dublin.
No other coach has yet been named to replace Revington, who took the Irish team to within minutes of qualifying for this summer’s Olympic Games in London. Spain will be travelling to the Games.
“Playing against Spain is always an exciting prospect and we are delighted to have these fixtures in our calendar,” said Revington.
“These opportunities will come thick and fast for players in this short transition phase and it will also be exciting to see what new reinforcements and strengths are added to the squad in this period.”
The Celtic Cup also take place later this month in Lisnagarvey HC from June 28th to July 1st. Ireland will face Scotland, Wales and South Africa in the competition.
IRELAND: J Bell (Lisnagarvey), P Brown, (Banbridge), J Bruton (YMCA), C Cargo (Reading), D Carlisle (Banbridge), K Carroll (Railway Union), D Carson (Corinthians), S Cole (Monkstown), D Fitzgerald (Monkstown), R Gormley (Club de Campo), C Harte (SCHC), D Harte (SCHC), J Jackson (Braxgata), J Lynch (Cor C of I), E Magee (Dragons), S O'Donoghue (UCD), M Watt (Satander), TBC
Hamilton quickest in Canada practice
Formula OneMcLaren's Lewis Hamilton was fastest in the opening Canadian Grand Prix practice yesterday. Red Bull's double world champion Sebastian Vettel was second fastest, 0.118 seconds slower, but ended the morning under investigation for taking a short-cut over the final chicane. Germany's Nico Rosberg was third fastest for Mercedes on a grey Montreal morning with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, the championship leader, fourth and 0.278 off Hamilton's pace. Australian Mark Webber, lapped fifth for Red Bull.
