TENNIS: Ireland's leading professional player throughout the 1990s, Owen Casey, has been appointed as non-playing captain of the Irish women's Federation Cup team for the 2002 campaign, writes Johnny Watterson.
Casey takes over from Peter Lowther, who has managed the team since 1995. Peter Wright was also confirmed as captain of the men's Davis Cup side for this season. He will start the campaign with an away fixture to Armenia at the beginning of May.
Casey's appointment comes after a distinguished professional career during which he represented Ireland in two Olympic Games. He also had a long Davis Cup career which began in 1988 while competing on the professional international circuit in Satellite and Challenger events. His first challenge in the captain's role will be a qualifying event in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 9th.
Lowther has been appointed to direct a major review of the way coaches' education is delivered.
"Peter Lowther has made an enormous contribution to the development of ladies tennis in Ireland over the past 10 years," said Tennis Ireland president David Nathan. "The success of his efforts can be seen in the fact that this year's Federation Cup side is likely to be an all-professional team."
HOCKEY: Although it is a little disappointing that Spain (heading for the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur) cannot provide a full international engagement for Ireland's training trip to Barcelona this week, action in abundance is coming up for John Clarke's squad in the period leading up to the European Championship qualifying tournament at Belfield in July, writes Dermot Ashmore.
Most notably, England have invited Ireland to play in a prestigious quadrangular tournament in Manchester on June 14th-16th. The quartet is likely to be completed by Scotland and India or South Africa.
Furthermore, the Irish Hockey Association hopes to stage a four-countries tournament on home turf, later in June, probably involving sides tuning up for the Euro qualifier. Also to be slotted into the reckoning is the Celtic Cup, due to be hosted by Wales at the end of May.
So, for the 17-man party heading out to Barcelona today, there will be much to be gained, and fresh impressions to be made, against the elite Real Club de Polo side tomorrow night and in the two matches against the Spanish under-21s on Friday and Saturday.
BASKETBALL: Tralee Community College grabbed the Under-19 B title in the Bank of Ireland Schools finals at Tallaght yesterday when they beat St Muredach's Ballina 67-60.
In the Under-19 C final it was Castlerea CS who held sway when they beat St Patricks's Shannon by 50-37.
SNOOKER: Stephen Hendry conjured up a spell-binding performance to mesmerise snooker apprentice Ryan Day in the £695,000 Benson and Hedges Masters at Wembley yesterday.
Hendry is anxious to add a seventh Benson crown in London this week to his seven world titles. On the evidence of his 6-0 victory over his 21-year-old Welsh rival, he has every chance of a first title in six years.
