Today's other stories in brief
Walsh is handed 14-day ban
HORSE RACING:Ruby Walsh was hit with a 14-day ban yesterday following a dramatic finish to the Pertemps Handicap Chase at Stratford.
Walsh had his head down and was in full flight after the final fence as he gave chase to leader Surface To Air on Alan Hollingsworth's Gallik Dawn. But Walsh noticed too late he was heading towards the water jump rather than going to the left-hand side of it.
He managed to negotiate the barriers in front of it, but had no option than to jump the water.
A stewards' inquiry immediately ensued and, not surprisingly, Walsh was disqualified after crossing the line in second place.
Walsh won the first race of the night on Oumeyade. He will be out of action from June 7th to 24th on days when jumps racing takes place.
With Sam Thomas already facing a lengthy suspension, champion trainer Paul Nicholls incredibly now has both his stable jockeys sidelined.
MacHale will look to close gap
MOTOR SPORT: Rally drivers Eamonn Boland (Wexford) and Niall Maguire (Monaghan) both compete this weekend as championship leaders in search of more points to consolidate their respective title bids, writes Brian Foley.
Boland, on 40 points, has established a firm lead over Aaron MacHale (26) and Tim McNulty (24) in the Global Tarmac Rally Championship. By contrast, the pre-series favourite Garret MacHale has only 12 points on the scoreboard after crashing out of the Galway and Killarney rounds.
With 15 points for a win and five rounds to run, the championship is far from decided. MacHale is seeded number one in Round Four, the Jim Clark Rally, which started this morning.
It's a Monaghan v Cavan battle in the Dunlop National Rally Championship with just two points between Niall Maguire and Patrick Elliott - on 56 and 54 points, respectively. Elliott is seeded number one in the Cavan stages, his home event which he has yet to win.
Hatton has point to prove in front of home crowd
BOXING:Ricky Hatton has a big point to prove against Juan Lazcano in front of 55,000 fans at the City of Manchester Stadium tonight as he seeks to emulate so many great champions by bouncing back better from his first defeat.
Despite his mighty success at the box office, Hatton has found himself in the unusual position of having to defend his reputation in the build-up to his first fight in his home country for over two years.
As doubts continue to swirl about supposed tension in his camp and the effects of his notorious out of training drinking sessions, Hatton knows only an emphatic victory will keep his hopes of a rematch with Floyd Mayweather alive.
"Everybody is pointing the finger a little bit, saying 'his lifestyle has finally caught up with him', I want to go out with a little bit of defiance," said Hatton. "I want to say, 'you think I'm past it? Look at this'."
Hattontipped the scales at 9st 13lb 11oz - the same as Lazcano - at a noisy weigh-in at the city's Trafford Centre.
Ireland face France in Amsterdam
RUGBY:Ireland will play France in their final game at the FIRA Europeans Women's Championship today with the winners guaranteed a third place finish in the 14-team competition.
A victory in Amsterdam would be a great boost for Ireland as it would earn them a first ever victory over France as well as their best finish in this competition.
Coach Simon Broughton has made a raft of changes from the side which lost to England in midweek and his choices ensure that every player in the squad has gotten a start over the three games.
IRELAND: Niamh Briggs (Clonmel), Jeannette Feighery (UL Bohemians), Lynne Cantwell (UL Bohemians); Grace Davitt (Boyne), Helen Brosnan (Highfield), Jo O'Sullivan (Richmond), Louise Beamish (UL Bohemians), Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians), Emer McManamly (Blackrock), Kate O'Loughlin (Clonmel), Orla Brennan (Blackrock), Louise Austin (Blackrock), Carol Staunton (St Mary's).
England show their teeth
CRICKET:James Anderson knocked out the front tooth of middle order batsman Daniel Flynn, forcing him to retire hurt, and then struck all-rounder Jacob Oram on the helmet and on the hand during England's attempt to halt New Zealand's solid start to the second Test.
Yet, New Zealand also demonstrated their resilience on a day restricted to only 54 overs through rain and bad light and reached a solid 202 for four when play was called off.
