Universities gold for men's four: Ireland's men's four won gold at the World University Championships in Trakai, Lithuania, yesterday. The crew of James Wall, Dan Barry, Paul O'Brien and Paul Murray had been disappointed to finish fifth at the World Under-23 Championships last month, but excised their frustration with a fine row into a strong wind which left France (silver) and Italy (bronze) in their wake.
"We planned to be up off the start and we did that," NUIG student Wall explained. "Then from 750 metres we just kept pushing away. We were never really under pressure and we won it by five seconds. So we're very happy."
This crew were contenders for gold at the World Under-23s, and not winning a medal stung their pride. "We wanted to come here and redeem ourselves," said Wall. "We didn't really do ourselves justice in Hazewinkel and we wanted to come here and nail it. So we did."
Rory O'Connor, won the B final of the single sculls on Saturday (seventh overall), to end a generally frustrating season on a good note. The lightweight double scull of Eoghan Garvey and Danny O'Dowd were second in their B final.
Ireland earn first win over Scotland
Ireland's women's rugby team beat Scotland for the first time (17-6), to round-off their World Cup preparations on a high.
Coach Philip Doyle made four changes from the side beaten by Canada in April, and newcomer Munster winger Jeannette Feighery boosted her World Cup chances as she grabbed two tries.
Scotland took the lead through a Paula Chalmers penalty but Feighery's first try came after 20 minutes. Grace Davitt missed the conversion and then a penalty while Chalmers slotted her second. Feighery struck again before half-time to push the lead to 10-6. Joanne O'Sullivan this time failed to convert.
The Irish hammered home their advantage on the hour-mark when captain Sarahjane Belton broke away 30 metres out for a fine score which Davitt converted.
Ireland will depart for the World Cup in Canada on August 27th where they will face France, America and South Africa in their pool game.
IRELAND: J O'Sullivan; J Feighery, L Cantwell, G Davitt, N Ní Chadhain; SJ Belton, T Rosser; F Coughlan, J Lonergan, M Barrett, C Mahon, G Healy, E O'Sullivan, R Boyd, Joy Neville. Replacements: O Brennan for Boyd (40 mins), G McAllister for Barrett (58 mins), R Foley for Healy (61 mins), L Guest for Coghlan (72 mins), Y Nolan for Lonergan (72 mins), M Kelly for Feighery, S Houston for Davitt, S Fleming for Ní Chaidhain, L Beamish for Rosser, S Ryan for O'Sullivan (all 78 mins).
Campas next up for Duddy
Irish middleweight John Duddy will meet veteran Mexican puncher Luis Raman (Yory Boy) Campas at Madison Square Garden next month it has been confirmed.
Both men will go head to head with an IBA Americas middleweight title up for grabs at the New York venue on September 29th. Campas has 88 wins from 96 pro fights, while Derry-born Duddy has racked up 17 victories so far.
Duddy, who fights out of the Irish Ropes Gym in New York, returns to training today.
The 27 year old fell victim to the heat wave sweeping the Big Apple last month.
Another big setback for Loughney
Promising Connacht prop Ronan Loughney has been dealt a major blow in his first match back from the knee injury which had sidelined him since early last season.
Loughney, who has been capped at under-19 and under-21 levels, tore a cruciate knee ligament in the dying moments of his side's pre-season friendly against Narbonne in France on Saturday night.
This is the second time the Galway native has torn the cruciate in his right knee.
The game finished 35-29 to Narbonne , with each side scoring five tries.
