Golf: Members of the Island Golf Club have issued a clear "hands off" message to a consortium of businessmen who offered £15.6 million to purchase the facility, reports Philip Reid. Indeed, at an e.g.m. held in Malahide last night, the unanimous sentiment expressed by over 360 members in attendance was that the course was not for sale.

Attempts by the businessmen to take over the north county Dublin links - in a deal which would have given each full member over £20,000 and smaller sums to other categories - are now "happily dead and buried," said one club member.

There was also an overwhelming vote in favour of a motion from two longstanding club members which effectively rules out any possible sale in the future. This motion had asked that it would take 90 per cent of members "present and voting" at a properly convened annual general meeting to facilitate any such sale. This was amended to 80 per cent.

Tennis: Ireland's Peter Clarke is justifying his top-seed rating at Masters level, the culmination of the Australian Unity satellite circuit series. Clarke coped well in the stifling heat to reach the quarter-finals with a victory over Australian Stephen Huse, 5-7 7-6 6-3.

Rowing: After a topsyturvy year, the IARU time-trials last weekend at Iniscarra might have been expected to herald the emergence of a new elite, yet top of the list were familiar names (Tony O'Connor and Neville Maxwell) in the familiar pairing of a lightweight pair, writes Liam Gorman.

For all that, the next pair up were the promising young lightweight duo of Brian Young and Eugene Coakley, part of the medal-winning four at the World under-23 championships in Copenhagen last year. Sinead Jennings was first woman home, covering the course faster than all the junior men and one senior.

The Laganside Head of the River takes place tomorrow and registration is from 9.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. at Queen's boathouse and the first race is scheduled for noon.