SPORTS DIGEST:CYCLING: Showing he is in very strong form over a month after the Tour de France ended, Ireland's Nicolas Roche placed sixth on yesterday's uphill finish on stage three of the Vuelta a España. The Ag2r La Mondiale rider rode well on the short, sharp climb that took the riders to the finish line in Málaga, sprinting in 15 seconds behind the impressive Belgian winner Philippe Gilbert, writes Shane Stokes.
Gilbert, of the Omega Pharma Lotto team, rocketed clear inside the final kilometre and finished three seconds ahead of Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).
It was a tough day for the second Irish pro in the race, Philip Deignan. He lost contact on the first category Puerto del Leon and rolled in 19 minutes and 5 seconds back, clearly still not right after the diagnosis of a virus in the run-up to the race.
The race continues today with a another mountains stage, a 184km race to Valdepeñas de Jaén.
Roux charged with murder
RUGBY:South African rugby union player Bees Roux was charged with murder yesterday for the beating to death of a policeman in Pretoria.
Roux’s lawyer, Rudi Krause, said during a bail hearing that his client would plead not guilty to killing Sgt Ntshimane Mogale.
The 28-year-old Roux, who plays for Pretoria’s Blue Bulls and the Super 14 champion Bulls, maintains his car was being stolen and he was acting in self defence, said Krause, who added that his client’s credit card had been used at a fast-food restaurant after he was placed in custody.
Bail was set at $13,000 and Roux, who had spent the weekend in jail, left court with his family ahead of an October 15th court date at which he was expected enter a plea.
Roux had been pulled over by Mogale on suspicion of drunken driving. Roux was also charged with that offence.
Ireland aim to skate away with full points in Canada
CRICKET:Ireland will be out to claim maximum points for a second straight game as they take on Canada in an Intercontinental Cup clash, which gets underway today at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.
It will be far from skating weather for Phil Simmons’s side, with temperatures in the mid-30s expected for a game Ireland must win if they are to keep alive their outside chances of making the final of a competition they have won in its last three stagings.
Ireland will be without all-rounder Alex Cusack for the game as he receives treatment on a long-standing muscle injury in his leg.
Instonians wicket-keeper Rory McCann will make his first-class debut in the absence of Surrey player Gary Wilson, while Pembroke opening bowler Allan Eastwood is set for another run-out after he impressed on debut in the comprehensive victory over the Netherlands in Rathmines at the beginning of the month.
Barry comes through tough test
TENNIS:Ireland's Sam Barry was forced to survive a stiff test in the first round of the Canadian Junior Championships, at Repentigny, near Montreal, yesterday.
Playing in his first world-ranking tournament since reaching the quarter-finals of the European Junior Championships over five weeks ago, world U-18 No 65 Barry was pushed to a 6-3 3-6 6-4 scoreline by Canada’s 282-ranked Andrew Ochotta.
Today, the Limerick right-hander faces a much tougher challenge in the outdoor hardcourt tournament, being paired against the No 7 seed, Hungary’s Mate Zgiga, who is ranked at 13, and was placed at No 7 last April.
But at least Barry can take some consolation from the fact that Zsiga had to go to three sets to come out on top when the players met back in February in an outdoor hardcourt event in Sfax, Tunisia.
