CRICKET: The Southern XI side to play the North West Cricket Union (NWCU) XI in next Saturday's Inter Regional Challenge 2002 match at Malahide shows two changes - one enforced - to the team which defeated the Northern Cricket Union (NCU) XI at Lurgan last weekend, writes Karl Johnston.
The Pembroke seamer Emmet Whaley, who took 4 for 17 last Saturday at Lurgan, is not available, because of examinations, and his place has gone to Luke Clinton of The Hills. In the second change, Niall O'Brien comes in for John Mooney, who drops down to 12th man, though Dara Armstrong is retained as wicket-keeper, despite O'Brien's promotion.
Peter Gillespie captains the NWCU team which will be without Decker Curry (Limavady) who has a back injury. And his new club, Ardmore, have refused to release Mark Gillespie, a move which will do nothing to help his future international prospects.
SOUTHERN XI: J Molins (Railway Union, capt.), N O'Brien (Railway Union), P Davy (Pembroke), D Joyce (Merrion/Dublin University), B Archer (The Hills), P Mooney (North County), C Armstrong (North County), D Armstrong (North County), L Clinton (The Hills), G Molins (Clontarf), R Haste (Pembroke). 12th man: J Mooney (North County).
NORTH WEST CRICKET UNION (NWCU) XI: P Gillespie (Strabane, capt.), R McDaid, M McDaid (both Limavady). W Porterfield, A Riddles, J Thompson, J McGonagle (all Donemana), D Heasley, G Neely (both Glendermott), M Olphert (Bready), G Wilson (Brigade).
HOCKEY: Irish men's coach John Clarke has named an 18-man squad to compete in the Celtic Cup in Wales in Cardiff on May 31st. Clarke includes three uncapped players for the tournament, which will act as a warm-up event for the more important European Cup qualifying event in Belfield in July, writes Johnny Watterson.
Glenanne's Graham Shaw, along with under-21 graduates, Cork C of I's David Hobbs and Cork Harlequins' David Eakins, joins the squad which is captained by Pembroke's Nigel Henderson.
Shaw joins team-mate Stephen Butler, who was recently named player of the year and also won the Derek Hennessy award for leading scorer.
It is hoped that goalkeeper Henderson and Cork Harlequins' Jason Black will also be fit to play following recent injuries, as the squad has already been depleted through longer term injuries to Nigel Buttimer, Ally Dunne and Dan Clarke.
Following the Celtic Cup, where Ireland will face Wales, Scotland and France, the team will depart for Belgium in June for a five-day training camp which will encompass two international matches against the Belgian national side.
Two further names will be added to the squad for Belgium, C of I's Karl Burns and John Jermyn, who are both returning from exams.
IRISH SQUAD: W Bateman (Cork Harlequins, 2 caps), M Black (Cork C of I, 10 caps), J Black (Cork Harlequins, 24 caps), P Brown (Instonians, 28 caps), S Butler (Glenanne, 23 caps), D Eakins (Cork Harlequins, 0 caps), G Elliott (Pembroke, 7 caps), Nigel Henderson (Pembroke, 25 caps capt.), D Hobbs (Cork C of I, 0 caps), M Irwin (Instonians, 13 caps), C Jackson (Annadale, 31 caps), E Lutton (Lisnagarvey, 56 caps), M Raphael (Lisnagarvey, 25 caps), G Shaw (Glenanne, 0 caps), J Sherriff (Pembroke, 11 caps), D Smyth (Annadale, 14 caps), I Steen (Surbiton, 22 caps), J Stevenson (Lisnagarvey, 63 caps). Manager: S Hiles; Coach: J Clarke; Ass Coach: J Kirkwood; Physio: K Hickman.
SWIMMING: LEN, Europe's ruling body, has awarded the 2003 European short course championships to the Abbotstown equatic centre, writes Pat Roche.
The championships, second only in importance to the long course tests, will take place at an estimated cost of almost €1million and will parade the world's best swimmers en route to the Athens Olympics.
"Swim Ireland's presentation was highly impressive," said a LEN spokesman yesterday.
The Irish bid for the prestigious tests beat off similarly strong challenges from Stockholm and Vienna.
The championships are generally staged around Christmas and the dates fixed for Dublin are December 11th-14th.
CYCLING: Mario Cipollini once again proved himself the master of the final kilometre by taking yesterday's Stage Three of the Giro d'Italia in a bunch sprint.
Stefano Garzelli of Mapei-Quick Step retained the leader's pink jersey but it was Cipollini who was swamped at the finishing line after his win.
As in Munster on Sunday, he was aided by exemplary work from his Acqua e Sapone team-mates. Phonak's Massimo Strasser, lacking Cipollini's support, was forced back into second while Telekom's Danilo Hondo was third.
Little changed in the overall standings, with Garzelli, a winner in Liege, maintaining his lead.
The other main talking point of the day was a brave, if ultimately foolish, break by Marc Streel of Landbowkrediet-Colnago who led for over 160 kilometres before being swallowed by the peloton 15kms from the finish.
