Today's other sports in brief
Irish handed an early lesson
HOCKEY:Ireland's women's team were given a sharp taste of the quality they will encounter this week at the Setanta Sports Trophy as they fell to a 3-1 defeat by South Africa in the opening tie at Belfield.
The South Africans built a 2-0 lead by the break - courtesy of Kate Hector and Henriette de Buisson from penalty corners.
Ireland came out stronger in the second half, winning four penalty corners. But the South Africans scored a superb break-out goal, Shelley Russell making the killer pass to de Buisson to crack home from eight yards.
Eimear Cregan pulled one back with three minutes left from a short corner rebound after Louisa Moore powered in the initial shot.
RESULTS: Ireland 1 (Eimear Cregan) South Africa 3 (Henriette de Buisson 2, Kate Hector); Germany 2 Britain 1
Today's schedule (all Belfield): Men: Britain v Pakistan (4pm), Ireland v Canada (8pm) Women: Britain v South Africa (2pm), Ireland v Germany (6pm).
Pakistan finally take control
HOCKEY:Ireland and Pakistan served up a feast on the first day of the Setanta Sports Trophy at Belfield last night, putting on a showcase for a sizable crowd.
The Irish started in brilliant fashion, centre back Tim Lewis popping up in the circle to bang home a rebound.
Timmy Cockram doubled the lead on nine minutes from a dummied penalty corner to have Ireland dreaming of victory, but Pakistan were level by half-time - through Shakeel Abbassi and Muhammed Waqas.
Salman Akbar broke the tie with four minutes left and, with seconds remaining, Muhammed Saqlain secured a 4-2 victory for the visitors.
Results: Ireland 2 (Tim Lewis, Timmy Cockram) Pakistan 4 (Shakeel Abbassi, Muhammed Waqas, Salman Akbar, Muhammed Saqlain); Britain 0 Canada 1.
Elwood disappointed as under-20s lose collisions
RUGBY:Ireland under-20 coach Eric Elwood could not hide his disappointment following his side's 65-10 thumping by New Zealand at the Arms Park in the second of their pool matches at the Junior World Championship, writes John O'Sullivan.
Having lost to Argentina, Ireland were on a strict damage-limitation mission again the junior All Blacks. And it was not so much the score as the poor quality that rankled.
"You have to do the basics in rugby matches and one of those is that you have to make tackles," said Elwood. "New Zealand are a very good side and they play their game with a lot of width and a lot of pace and if you make basic errors against them you will be punished. We paid the price for missing tackles and making mistakes . . . to be fair it wasn't a genuine reflection of how this team can play."
Ireland got the opening score, a penalty from scrumhalf Ian Porter, but New Zealand followed that with nine tries through Andre Taylor (3), Kade Poki (2), Quentin McDonald, Luke Braid, Sean Maitland and Grayson Hart. Trent Renata kicked 16 points and Daniel Kirkpatrick tagged on a couple of conversions.
Ireland scored a consolation try through number eight Patrick Mallon, Porter converting.
They play Tonga at the weekend.
Cuddihy fit for European Cup
ATHLETICS:Joanne Cuddihy will run the 400 metres for the Irish team at the European Cup division one league in Lieria, Portugal, later this month, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Cuddihy has been troubled by a knee injury of late, forcing her to miss a relay race in Turin last Friday, but is now back training and ready to continue her build-up to the Beijing Olympics. She has also been named in the 4x400m team for the Lieria competition, which takes place on June 21st and 22nd.
Derval O'Rourke will also run her specialist event, the 100-metre hurdles, while the Irish hammer record holder Eileen O'Keeffe will also be looking for maximum points.
The Irish men compete in division two in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, the same weekend, where David Gillick will drop down to 200 metres, allowing Paul McKee to run the 400.
The selectors have left a vacancy at 5,000 metres in the hope Alistair Cragg will be available. David McCarthy will run in the 1,500m and Mark Christie in the 3,000m.
Küerten stays quiet on ruling
EQUESTRIAN: Jessica Kürten has made no comment as yet on the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision not to lift the two-month suspension imposed on her by the Fédération Equestre International until it holds an appeal into the matter, writes Margie McLoone.
The suspension began last Saturday but the world number two had hoped for a stay of execution.
The FEI imposed the suspension, after many months of delays, following the discovery of the prohibited etoricoxib in blood samples taken from Kürten's former mount Castle Forbes Maike, after the Grand Prix at La Baule in 2007.
