Cricket: Ireland came within a boundary of resurrecting their World Cup dream in Toronto yesterday before handing Holland victory by two runs in a thrilling ICC Trophy match at Maple Leaf.
Jason Molins batted imperiously to put Ireland in sight of a win that would have set up a showdown for a place in the qualifying final with Canada today and when he was fifth out for 93 the target was a mere 53 from 10 overs with five wickets in hand.
Kyle McCallan soon followed for 41 and the game moved decisively towards Holland with two lbw decisions, the first against Paul Mooney looked a little harsh but Mark Patterson was plumb.
Matt Dwyer joined Peter Davy with 28 required from 27 balls and with both sides pressing Davy found a couple of leg-slide fours to put the batsmen back in charge.
Twelve were needed from two overs, then six from the last but with the target again halved Dwyer was run out at the non-striker's end.
Davy mis-timed the next ball and was then stumped off the penultimate delivery attempting a winning hit.
Cricket: Michael Atherton was yesterday appointed as England's stand-in captain for the second Test against Australia at Lord's next week as a replacement for the injured Nasser Hussain.
Atherton will take over his duties next week when the squad assembles in London.Cricket: While they lost by five wickets, Ireland's women cricketers put on an impressive performance against Australia in the first of their three one-day international matches at Rathmines yesterday. Ireland's total of 132 was the highest recorded against this opposition, with Caitriona Beggs and Clare O'Leary the two top scorers in the match.
Hockey: Ireland's preparations for September's women's World Cup qualifier in France have been hit by the Irish Hockey Association's decision to cancel their trip to Lithuania because it was not within its budget. The squad was due to play Lithuania and the Ukraine, both of whom will also be at the qualifier, in a series of friendly internationals later this month.
Rowing: A big Irish team takes to the water today at the final World Cup regatta of the year in Munich with high hopes of winning medals. Lightweight single scullers Sinead Jennings, who won gold in her last outing at Vienna, and Sam Lynch who missed Vienna but won gold at Seville two weeks before, will be intent on adding to their haul.
The regatta will provide a trial of strength for the world's best in the run-up to next month's World Championships in Lucerne, and some of the Irish competitors will be hoping to stake a claim for places there.
