Golf: Mark James last night aimed a thinly-disguised swipe at Nick Faldo by insisting he had stepped down as Ryder Cup vice-captain to end "all the whingeing" about his controversial book Into The Bear Pit.
James said: "I am delighted that the Ryder Cup Committee had no problems with the book. They simply thought it best to go purely to stop all the whingeing. "I suppose I am saddened by the way events have turned out but I am not disappointed. There are other things which disappoint me far more, like missing cuts."
James carded a second round 70 for a two-under-par total of 142 on the Monarch's Course - seven shots adrift of leader Pierre Fulke at the halfway stage of the £400,000 tournament.
The Swede, continuing his love affair with Scotland, was home in 30 for a superb nine-under-par 63, beating the previous best set by Raphael Jacquelin in the first round by a shot.
Meanwhile, David Higgins boosted his chances of a third Challenge Tour victory when he carded a second-round 66 in the Rolex Trophy Pro-Am in Geneva just two behind leader, Jose Manual Lara.
Gaelic Games: The Games Administration Committee of the GAA have delayed making a decision until this afternoon on whether the All-Ireland minor football semi-final between Derry and Cork will be replayed. Derry had objected to Cork's win on the basis that one of their players had received two yellow cards but was not sent off.
Equestrian Sport: The Millstreet World Cup show jumping qualifier will be saved, according to the hosting Duggan family, despite threats from the sport's international governing body that the November qualifier will not appear on its calendar when it is published next week, reports Grania Willis.
The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) is seeking payment of £25,000 in franchise fees for the 1998 and 1999 Millstreet qualifiers.
In a meeting with FEI secretary general Bo Helander three weeks ago the Duggans offered that £18,000 in lieu of the franchise fees, but Dr Helander subsequently wrote to the Duggans giving them an August 24th deadline to sort out the impasse or lose the qualifier.
Women's Golf: Suzanne O'Brien was delighted last night after she had helped Britain and Ireland move smoothly into a tie for second place with Korea in the World Women's Amateur Team Championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy at the Sporting Club Berlin.
O'Brien returned a highly creditable one-over-par 73. Her score combined with that of Hudson, who produced one of the lowest rounds of the day - a 71 - gave Britain and Ireland a third day aggregate of level par 144 and a 54-hole score of seven over 439.
That means they go into the final day some six strokes adrift of European Champions France.
Tennis: Ulster players took the glory against the odds at the penultimate stages of the Irish Open Junior championships at Fitzwilliam yesterday, reports Pat Roche.
Nelson Boyle from Larne and Limavady's Kate McNulty claimed the plaudits with stunning victories over seeds Mark Finnegan and Rachel Dillon.
