A round-up of today's other stories in brief
O'Hagan resigns from post at HRI
RACING:Just three weeks after being appointed as Horse Racing Ireland's new director of communications, Michael O'Hagan has resigned with immediate effect.
The 51-year-old, who has also resigned as chief executive of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, said last evening he was leaving both posts for “purely personal reasons”. O’Hagan said: “I’ve been in this job for 11 years and while I’ve loved it, there is an awful lot of travelling and I simply want to spend some time at home.
“I’ve given a lot of time to this industry and now I think I should give more time to my family. It’s time for a change. I was asked to take up a new position and I felt it was right to make a decision now rather than six months down the line.”
After a HRI board meeting yesterday, a statement said O’Hagan’s resignation was accepted with immediate effect and he was leaving to pursue private business interests.
HRI’s chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: “Michael offered his resignation and it was accepted at a board meeting this morning.”
– BRIAN O’CONNOR
Gillick's Games hopes suffer another setback
ATHLETICS:David Gillick's hopes of qualifying for the London Olympic Games appear to be doomed as he once again trailed home in a distant last place at the IAAF Moscow Challenge meeting – clocking another shockingly poor 48.27 seconds for 400 metres.
Gillick needs to run under 45.30 to make London, and although he has a best of 44.77 from 2009, he faces an almost impossible task of finding such form with just four weeks to go to the cut-off date for Olympic qualification.
He opened his season in Turin over the weekend in 48.36, and while last night represented marginal improvement, it left him well short of race winner Pavel Trenikhin of Russia, who clocked 45.51.
– IAN O’RIORDAN
Niall O'Brien back in Ireland squad for Australia clash
CRICKET:Wicket-keeper Niall O'Brien has been included in the Ireland squad for Saturday week's RSA Challenge one-day international against Australia, a game that is likely to see Middlesex bowler Tim Murtagh make his debut.
O’Brien was not selected for Ireland’s World Twenty20 qualifying campaign earlier this year after taking up a contract in the Bangladesh Premier League, and his return comes with a strong message from national coach Phil Simmons that he must work hard to oust Gary Wilson from behind the stumps.
“Theres no doubt he’s among the best 14 players that Ireland have, but Gary Wilson did superbly in the UAE, so Niall knows he’s going to have work hard and be at his best to regain the gloves,” said Simmons.
Murtagh is likely to start in Belfast as Boyd Rankin misses out as he continues to recuperate from injury.
SQUAD: W Porterfield (Warwickshire, capt), A Cusack (Clontarf), G Dockrell (Somerset), T Johnston (YMCA), E Joyce (Sussex), J Mooney (North County), T Murtagh (Middlesex), K O’Brien (Railway Union/Somerset), N O’Brien (Northants), M Sorensen (The Hills), P Stirling (Middlesex), A White (Instonians), G Wilson (Surrey).
– EMMET RIORDAN
England benefit from wash out
CRICKET:England retained the Wisden Trophy by a 2-0 margin after the third Test against West Indies was washed out yesterday. No play was possible on the fifth and final day after the first two days were washed out. Umpires Tony Hill and Kumar Dharmasena called play off after persistent rain. Only 197.3 overs were possible in the match during which England reached 221 for five in reply to West Indies' 426.
West Indies' Denesh Ramdin has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council for the way he celebrated his century on day four of the third Test against England on Sunday. On completing just his second hundred at Edgbaston in 44 five-day matches, Ramdin held up a sheet of paper, which read: "'Yeah Viv, Talk Nah". The move, thought to be a reaction to criticism Viv Richards levelled at Ramdin last month, has found little favour with the ICC, who found the 27-year-old guilty of breaching their code of conduct. He was charged with a Level One offence, contrary to clause 2.1.8 (a), which relates to "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game ".
Roche retains fifth place after third stage of Tour de Suisse
CYCLING:Nicolas Roche retained his fine fifth place overall in the Tour de Suisse yesterday when finishing in the main bunch on the 194.7 kilometre third stage from Martigny to Aarberg.
Stage one winner Peter Sagan (Liquigas Cannondale) triumphed, winning a big bunch sprint to the line after a long break by Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R-LaMondiale), Michael Morkov (Saxo Bank) and, initially, Jonas Van Genechten (Lotto-Belisol) was neutralised.
Sagan showed his considerable power and composure to manage to come back after he nearly crashed on the twisting run into the line.
His foot came out of his pedal but he was strong enough to recover and to overtake Baden Cooke (GreenEdge) before the line.
Stage two winner Rui Costa (Movistar) finished in the bunch with all the other contenders and stays in the yellow jersey.
Roche rolled in 40th and is 21 seconds back in fifth overall heading into today’s stage. He appears to be in very good shape heading towards the Tour de France.
– SHANE STOKES
