ATHLETICS: Though there is real hope that Sonia O'Sullivan will commit herself to the World Cross Championships following her appearance in tomorrow's short-course trials in Dublin, her coach Alan Storey said yesterday that expectations should not be unrealistic, reports Ian O'Riordan.
O'Sullivan has been back in her native Cork for the last couple of days ahead of tomorrow's 4km race at the ALSAA course next to Dublin Airport (2.0). Athletics Ireland (AAI) have already pre-selected her for the Leopardstown event on March 23-24th, but a final decision on her participation rests on tomorrow's display.
According to Storey, if O'Sullivan decides to run at the World Championships it will be with limited ambitions. O'Sullivan gave birth to her second daughter 11 weeks ago and has only gradually been returning to full fitness.
"I think it's unrealistic for the Irish people to expect to see Sonia in the medals," he said. "Right now she is not the Sonia O'Sullivan that won an Olympic silver medal," he added.
National champion Anne Keenan-Buckley, who is also pre-selected, has confirmed that she won't be running tomorrow, although Rosemary Ryan, the runner-up at the National Inter-club Championships, will still provide a good test for O'Sullivan.
The complete Ireland teams for Leopardstown will be selected after tomorrow's races. Belfast's Gareth Turnbull is the favourite to win tomorrow's trial and head the Ireland short-course team.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Ulster opened the defence of their senior interprovincial title in Galway last night with a 2-1 win over a depleted Munster side. Leinster defeated the hosts 2-0 with both goals scored by Cathy McKean.
Arlene Boyles gave Ulster a first-half lead when she scored from a short corner, one of 12 they won in the game, but Munster levelled in the second half through Eimear Cregan from a rebound of a save by Angela Platt. Jill Orbinson restored Ulster's advantage two minutes later, brilliantly turning on the edge of the circle and firing into the bottom corner of the goal.
Tara Browne's marvellous display in the Connacht goal and Clodagh Grealy and Claire Deacy's gutsy defending made it difficult for Leinster, but McKean finally found a way past the Irish goalkeeper, from a short corner, after 17 minutes. She scored again, from another corner, midway through the second half.
HOCKEY: Ireland's Ray O'Connor completes an outstanding treble by umpiring today's World Cup final between Australia and Germany in Kuala Lumpur. The 44-year-old Dubliner has umpired the 1995 European Cup final at Belfield (Germany v Netherlands) and the 1996 Olympic Games final in Atlanta (Netherlands v Spain). He has also officiated in a Champions Trophy decider.
SCHOOLS' HOCKEY: A goal from Katie Syme with just 11 minutes to go gave Wesley College a 1-0 victory over Mount Anville in yesterday's Leinster Schools' Junior Cup final at Grange Road.
WESLEY COLLEGE: S Byrne, E Richardson, A Warren, J Boate, L Doherty, J Heggie, L Darling, K Syme, M Lambert, W Adams, H Ganley. Subs: J King, S McCoy, R Burke, M Bourke-Girgirs.
MOUNT ANVILLE: N Beausang, K Graham, A O'Donnell, E Conway, J Donohoe, R O'Donoghue, D McGuinness, A Blaney, R Reddy, K Hutch, S Butler. Subs: L Swaine, K O'Connor, E O'Dwyer, K Gavagan, R Denton.
