Sports Digest
• MOTOR SPORT: David Coulthard has been handed a Formula One lifeline by the new Red Bull Racing team, who yesterday gave the Scot a one-year contract.
Coulthard (33) was left without a drive after being replaced by Juan Pablo Montoya at McLaren for 2005.
He agreed to race for Jaguar next season before the team were put up for sale by parent company Ford but after Red Bull's buy-out, he has eventually found his way back to F1.
Coulthard's partner at the new team has yet to be confirmed, although former Jaguar driver Christian Klien is expected to pip Formula 3000 title-holder Vitantonio Liuzzi to the seat when a decision is announced in the new year.
• CRICKET: Australia, buoyed by Justin Langer's 191, skittled Pakistan for 179 on the second day of the first test in Perth to take total control of the match.
Ricky Ponting then decided against enforcing the follow-on as Australia reached 15 without loss in their second innings for an overall lead of 217 by the close. Australia seamer Michael Kasprowicz took five for 30 and leg spinner Shane Warne three for 38.
• CRICKET: Former international opening bowler Roy Torrens has been confirmed as the incoming Ireland team manager for 2005, reports James Fitzgerald. The North-West man was the unanimous choice of the unions and he replaces Malahide's John Wright, who was recently appointed as tournament director of next July's ICC Trophy which Ireland will be hosting.
A former Irish Cricket Union president, Torrens played 30 times for his country between 1966 and 1984 out of the Brigade and Coleraine clubs.
The ICU has also announced that Roy Harrison, the Waringstown stalwart who played three times for Ireland, will take over from Phoenix's Stan Mitchell as president of the union in 2006.
• RUGBY: The IRFU has published a yearbook to mark what has been a memorable 12 months for Irish Rugby. The Triple Crown success and clean sweep of the Autumn internationals by the Irish team ranks as the outstanding Irish rugby memory of 2004.
This glossy publication looks at the schools scene, the fortunes of the provinces and contains in-depth interviews with Irish players, club profiles, a review of the under-21s and the development of the women's game over the past year.
It also looks forward to next year with previews of the Six Nations, the major club competitions and the Lions tour to New Zealand.
The yearbook is available at retail outlets throughout Ireland and on www.irishrugby.ie and is priced at €8.
• SQUASH: Arthur Gaskin the young professional seeded 11 and world ranked 161 beat David Ayerst the number six seed from Ulster 3-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Irish Squash Championships at Westwood.
Dara O'Flynn, seeded 10, caused the second upset of the night beating his club-mate Nigel Peyton, 3-0.
O'Flynn now faces Derek Ryan, the number two seed who came through easily when beating Rory Byrne who plays for the host club.
RESULTS: L Kenny 3-0 D Noone; D Ryan 3-0 R Byrne; S Richardson 3-0 D Roberts; P Foster 3-0 B Knox; N Rooney 3-0 K Moran; D Ayerst 1-3 A Gaskin; N Peyton 0-3 D O'Flynn; N Murphy 2-3 B Byrne
MEN'S QUARTER-FINAL DRAW: L Kenny v Brian Byrne 1.00pm; D Ryan v D O'Flynn 1.00pm; S Richardson v A Gaskin; P Foster v N Rooney
