Sports Digest/ WOMEN'S RUGBY: Despite a bright start, the Irish women's team were at the receiving end of a five-try, 32-0 blitz by champions England in the Six Nations Championship tie at Thomond Park yesterday.
The scoreline slightly flattered the visitors, but there was never any likelihood of the Irish making it five wins from the five weekend games against the English.
Ireland played some splendid rugby on occasions and their defence at times was superb. But England have not conceded a solitary point from their three games.
Their forwards totally dominated. Their first try came as early as the 11th minute when winger Sue Day broke from inside her half, skipped two tackles and raced in.
Ireland can take heart from their performance and especially centre Lynne Cantwell, scrumhalf Louise Beamish and fullback and captain, Sarahjane Belton.
Scorers: England: Tries: S Day, G Stevens, A Turner, M Alphonsie, D Waterman; Pen: K McLean. Cons: McLean, 2.
IRELAND: S Belton; J Feighery, L Cantwell, S Houston, G Davit; J O'Sullivan, L Beamish; F Coghlan, J Limbert, M Barrett; C Mahon, G Healy; E O'Sullivan, S Ryan, O Brennan. Replacement: L Guest for Barrett (75 mins).
ENGLAND: C Barras; D Waterman, C Allan, R Burford, S Day; K McLean, A Turner; N Gray, A Garnett, K Storie; T Taylor, J McGilchrist; G Stevens, M Alphonsi, C Spencer. Replacements: S Hemming for Gray (h-t), S Beale for Spencer (60 mins), E Layland, K Andrew, M Stanford for Alphonsie, Allan and Garnett (all 70 mins).
Referee: H David(Wales).
Hermes keep the title race alive
WOMEN'S HOCKEY: There's life in the Leinster first division title race just yet, Hermes' 1-1 draw with Loreto on Saturday keeping alive their hopes of retaining the title, while also ensuring that Pembroke Wanderers and Old Alexandra, in third and fourth places respectively, stay in the hunt, writes Mary Hannigan.
Loreto, though, remain in charge at the top, four points clear of Hermes and Pembroke (whose 4-0 win away to Trinity put them level on points with Hermes), another two ahead of Alexandra who have a game in hand.
Cathy McKean gave Loreto the lead at Booterstown but Caitriona McGilp levelled five minutes before half-time, the second crucial goal the teenager has scored in a month after she got the goal that put her school, St Andrew's, through to the Leinster Senior Cup final.
Hermes, however, could have taken all three points but Linda Caulfield had her penalty stroke saved by Louisa Healy early in the second half.
Loreto were back in action yesterday, beating Alexandra 4-1 in the semi-finals of the Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup, while in Munster Cork Harlequins beat UL on Saturday and yesterday, the first win maintaining their perfect league record, the second putting them in the Senior Cup final.
Fingal fly flag for north Dublin in final
MEN'S HOCKEY: Fingal played their way to their first Leinster Senior Cup final after a tough meeting with UCD in yesterday's semi-finals at Grange Road finished 3-0, writes Johnny Watterson. The north Dublin team will now face Glenanne in the St Patrick's Day final. Glenanne defeated home side Three Rock Rovers 3-2 in a golden goal semi-final. The winners played the match without their star midfield international player and set-piece specialist, Stephen Butler, who was suspended for a match by his club pending a disciplinary hearing today in Dublin.
But Fingal's elevation to the cup final - the first for a team from north Dublin within memory - was yesterday's talking point, and although they were expected to beat the students, they were held scoreless for the first half.
While ultimately the 3-0 margin was decisive, UCD disrupted Fingal for long stretches and made them work hard for everything they finally earned.
Still not fully fit following two wrist operations David Bane was still instrumental in his side's return to form after a slow enough start to their league campaign.
"It's the one we targeted this season," he said yesterday. "We've been late developers in the league so it's good that we're hitting a bit of form now."
Irish riders miss out in Sweden
SHOW JUMPING: The early promise shown by the two Irish riders in Gothenburg evaporated when it really mattered in yesterday's World Cup qualifier, writes Grania Willis. Jessica Kürten had placed consistently throughout the first three days of the Swedish fixture, including two runner-up spots on the opening day. The world number four continued with a fifth in Friday's late-night Masters, then notched up a speed class fourth and a seventh in Saturday night's Gothenburg Trophy, but when the chips were down in yesterday's feature Cup class, Kürten missed out on vital points as the mare Quibell left two fences on the floor.
Cameron Hanley fared even worse. Having successfully switched horsepower to finish seventh in the Spanish qualifier in Vigo a fortnight ago, the Mayo-born rider stuck with SIEC Concept for the Swedish round. But the 10-year-old grey left the arena with 12 faults on the scoreboard and Hanley was also out of the points share-out.
The 20 on offer for victory went to Germany's Christian Ahlmann, with his compatriot Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and brother-in-law Ludger Beerbaum claiming the other steps on the podium.
The Irish pair now have just one chance left in their hunt for points at 's-Hertogenbosch at the end of next month.
