SPORTS DIGEST: SOCCER: Wexford Youths dumped Cork City out of the eircom League Cup last night, booking a home final against champions Derry City in late September, thanks to a first half strike from Paul Murphy.
With just 24 minutes on the clock, a fine Conor Sinnot ball split the Cork defence and when Danny Murphy's tackle prevented Gavin Doyle getting a shot in, the ball spilled to Paul Murphy, who slotted the ball home from 12 yards out.
Cork's Denis Behan hit both posts either side of Wexford's goal, an eighth-minute missed penalty and a 37th-minute shot from the edge of the box. Sinnot cleared off the line from a Behan header in the 55th minute as Cork City, reportedly about to be taken over by former Limerick City owner Danny Drew, began to impose themselves, while Patsy Malone was alert to block a Kearney shot on the hour mark.
In the first division last night, Limerick 37 beat Athlone Town 3-0.
CORK CITY: M Devine; N Horgan, D Murray (capt), P Sullivan, Danny Murphy; C Lordan, J Gamble, C Healy, L Kearney; D Behan, L Dudfield. Subs: J OFlynn for Lordan (64); D Ryan for Kearney (83); Darren Murphy for Dudfield (88).
WEXFORD YOUTHS: P Doyle; K Kearney, P Rossiter, C Wallace, J Flynn-OConnor; G Doyle, C Sinnot (capt), P Malone, R Fitzgerald; D Furlong, P Murphy. Subs: G Wallace for G Doyle (73); J Wadding for Murphy (81); M Kelly for Fitzgerald (88).
Referee: D Tomney(Dublin).
Connacht make 11 changes
RUGBY: Michael Bradley has made 11 changes as well as four positional switches to his Connacht side ahead of their final pre-season friendly against Queensland Reds at the Sportsground this evening (7.30).
Fionn Carr moves from wing to fullback, with Liam Bibo and Mike Roberts taking up positions on the wings. Keith Matthews moves to inside centre, with Ian Keatley and Frank Murphy the halfback partnership.
CONNACHT: F Carr; L Bibo, G Duffy, K Matthews, M Roberts; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements: C Muldoon, R Loughney, M Swift, J O'Connor, K Campbell, A Wynne, J Hearty.
White crashes out in Belfast
SNOOKER: Jimmy White has crashed out in the first round of the Northern Ireland Trophy. The six-time World Championship finalist was beaten 5-3 by Barry Hawkins at Belfast's Waterfront Hall yesterday.
"It's disappointing not to perform," reflected White, who is down to 65th in the world rankings having nearly dropped off the professional circuit last season.
"It was very scrappy. We both never really got scoring. My safety game was really poor and I kept leaving him with easy balls. It got a bit frustrating in the end.
"I just love playing, but it does get frustrating when you're playing well and you don't produce it on the match table."
Qualifiers Mark Davis and Stuart Pettman are through to the second round.Davis dumped out local favourite Joe Swail, 5-4, while Pettman beat Nigel Bond 5-1.
