A round-up to today's other stories in brief
NUIG prove best in Galway as Trinity regain bragging rights
NUIG were the masters at the Tribesmen Head of the River in Galway on Saturday, while Trinity regained bragging rights over UCD in the Gannon Cup colours race on the Liffey, reports Liam Gorman. A strong wind caused the cancellation of the second of the three scheduled heads in Galway.
On the choppy and chilly Corrib, viewers at the finish of the final head saw NUIG's senior eight heading for the finish line all alone for what seemed an eternity before St Michael's hoved into view, and the final results confirmed the impression: the Galway crew, rating 32 strokes a minute, had a massive 18 seconds to spare over the second-placed Limerickmen in this time-trial event.
The influential Alan Martin and Cormac Folan were training with the international squad, but NUIG, stroked by John Forde, had enough power to see off their rivals. The pattern was repeated in the novice and intermediate grades, and earlier in the day NUIG's senior four had won the first head - with the closest crew to them being the promising St Michael's junior eight, stroked by Finbarr Manning, who is still a junior 16 oarsman.
At the other end of the scale, Brendan Dolan, who is well over twice Manning's age, made a surprise comeback. He stroked a Neptune quadruple scull which featured fellow veterans Gerry Murphy and Jim Cassidy, and did well in the difficult conditions.
In Dublin, UCD found themselves chasing Trinity in the Gannon Cup and never managed to head their rivals in a fine contest which ended with a half-length win for Trinity. "As a race it was terrific, but we got off to a bad start and that set the pattern," said UCD coach John Holland.
Trinity twice managed to push away when their opponents, who won the toss and chose the north station, were threatening to draw level. "They rowed quite a mature race for an inexperienced crew," said pleased Trinity coach Tim Levy.
UCD's senior women's eight had earlier got the better of Trinity in the Corcoran Cup, and the light blues won both the novice races. All the wins came, unusually, off the less-favoured south station.
Coyle wins in Spain
Trevor Coyle gave Ireland a second Spanish Sunshine Tour show jumping Grand Prix victory in a week when claiming honours in the Volvo feature at Vejer de la Frontera yesterday, seven days after Billy Twomey topped the line-up at the same venue, reports Grania Willis.
Derry-born Coyle, who is now based in Belgium with Francois Mathy, was one of five to go through to the timed decider, but 47-year-old Coyle and the mare Overtime were the only combination to leave all the fences standing to claim the honours from Frenchman Julien Epaillard.
Newly-appointed team manager Robert Splaine ended up seventh after a first-round mistake with the stallion Clarion Hotels Coolcorron Cool Diamond.
Mark McAuley and Kalande de Grez kept the Irish flag flying with a fifth in the mini-Grand Prix, with compatriot Christina Kelly two slots below with Carracci.
Over at the German fixture in Braunschweig, Jessica Kurten was twice in the money over the weekend, picking up a third in Saturday's speed class and a fifth in yesterday's accumulator with Castle Forbes Vivaldo.
O'Sullivan has injury doubt
Sonia O'Sullivan's participation in the Commonwealth Games is in doubt after she sustained a hamstring injury in training.
The 36-year-old is due to represent Australia in the 5,000 metres on Friday but her partner and coach Nic Bideau said she will decide today whether she can compete.
Mercy beat champions
UL Aughinish's dominance of the Woman's basketball Superleague since 2002 officially ended over the weekend, reports Gavin Cummiskey. The defending champions will be absent from next Sunday's league final after losing 78-51 to Mercy. The other finalists will be Glanmire who overcame the Waterford Wildcats 79-54.
St Vincent's take on the hosts UCC Demons and Limerick face north conference champions Ballina in the men's Superleague semi-finals next Saturday at the Mardyke Arena.
On Saturday, St Vincent's beat the Killarney Lakers (98-91), while Killester pushed Limerick to six points, eventually losing 66-60.
Women's Superleague (semi-finals) Mercy 78 UL Aughinish 51, Glanmire 79 Waterford Wildcats 54. Men's Superleague (quarter-finals) St Vincent's 98 Killarney Lakers 91, Limerick Lions 66 Killester 60.
