Sports Digest:Having experimented with his squad selections for much of the year so far Irish coach Gene Muller is moving closer to his final 18 for August's European Championships, naming a squad for this weekend's games against Scotland at Belfield that blends experience with the pick of the young players who have impressed since given their chance at senior level, writes Mary Hannigan.
An ankle injury rules captain Linda Caulfield out of the games but the core of Muller's squad is made up of seven players with 50 caps or more, including three - Eimear Cregan, Ciara O'Brien and Jill Orbinson - who have topped the 100 mark.
The rest of the squad, is, in comparison, relatively inexperienced, with Aine Connery, Hannah Bowe, Shirley McKay and Roisin Flinn all having done sufficiently well since their senior breakthroughs to be given the opportunity to stake a claim for the squad that will compete in Manchester.
Meanwhile, Mick McKinnon has named his under-18 squad for July's EuroHockey Youth Nations Championship in Edinburgh, with Armagh and Hermes providing nine of the players between them.
Warne penalised
Hampshire's Shane Warne was given six penalty points by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) yesterday for abusing an umpire after being given out lbw against Kent last week.
Warne was reported by Tim Robinson and Barrie Leadbeater for two Level 2 breaches. The leg spinner made clear to Robinson he was unhappy with the decision in the drawn match at Canterbury and uttered an "audible obscenity". The penalty remains on his record for two years, during which time a further three-point penalty would earn an automatic ban.
Garzelli in stage win
Italy's Stefano Garzelli of the Acqua & Sapone team won the 16th stage of the Giro d'Italia from Agordo to Lienz in Austria yesterday. France's Laurent Mangel finished second, one minute and one second behind Garzelli, with Ricardo Serrano of Spain third in the same time.
Italy's Danilo Di Luca retained the overall lead after finishing in the main bunch, eight minutes and 10 seconds behind Garzelli.
Today's 142-km stage is from Lienz to the summit of Monte Zoncolan in Italy. The 10-km climb to the finish line is considered the steepest ever used in a professional race.
