Other sports stories in brief
O'Rourke runs 12.90 in Prague
ATHLETICS:Derval O'Rourke took her biggest stride forward yet this season when she finished second in the 100 metres hurdles at the Josef Odlozil Memorial meeting in Prague last night. In doing so she ran her fastest time for two years, clocking 12.90 seconds, appreciably quicker than the 12.99 she produced a couple of weeks ago. The race was won by Aurelia Trywianska-Kollasch of Poland in 12.81.
Sorensen makes impact at Wimbledon qualifier
TENNIS:Louk Sorensen yesterday made a stunning debut in a Grand Slam event when he overwhelmed Britain's Edward Seator 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the qualifying series at the Wimbledon championships at Roehampton.
However, his Ireland Davis Cup team-mate Conor Niland experienced disappointment at the same event, losing 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 4-6 to Austrian Martin Fischer. The Limerick native scarcely had the ideal preparation, only receiving a call-up to his match 10 minutes beforehand. Niland, ranked 304, was having his lunch when he was told Netherlands' Peter Wessels had failed to turn up for his match against 253-ranked Fischer, whom he also lost to in the final of the ITF Futures event at Nottingham last September.
Sorensen's reward is a meeting today with a son of a former French Open quarter-finalist - France's 153-ranked Edouard Roger-Vassellin. His father, Christophe, defeated Jimmy Connors in the last 16 at Roland Garros in 1983.
Roger-Vasellin underlined his capabilities with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over fellow French player and 237-ranked Augustin Genesse.
Meanwhile, Davis Cup player Colin O'Brien maintained Irish interest when the ITF Futures event got under way yesterday at the Brookfield Club in Rathmines. He defeated Britain's Mathew James 6-0, 2-6, 6-2.
Irish boxers in the medals after draw
BOXING:Irish boxers will be taking home at least one silver and one bronze medal from the sixth European Union Championships in Poland after 2008 Olympians Paddy Barnes and Ken Egan received byes into the 81kg semi-final and 48kg final following yesterday's draw in Cetniewo in Poland.
Meanwhile, light welterweight John Joe Joyce, Jamie Conlon, John Joe Nevin and Willie McLoughlin will be involved in quarter-final bouts today.
David Oliver Joyce, Eric Donovan, Darren Sutherland and Tipperary heavyweight Con Sheehan will be in the ring tomorrow for last-eight showdowns versus Bulgaria, Germany, France and Scotland opponents.
Egan, Sutherland, JJ Joyce, Nevin and Barnes have qualified for the 2008 Olympics.
Lakers keep NBA title hopes alive
BASKETBALL:The Los Angeles Lakers kept their title hopes alive with a 103-98 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday to trim their NBA finals deficit to 3-2.
Kobe Bryant scored five of his 25 points in the final 2:14 to help extend the Lakers season and send the best-of-seven series back to Boston for Game Six on Tuesday.
"I didnt want to see the Celtics celebrating in my home floor with champagne and all that," said the Lakers Paul Gasol. "We didnt play our best game, but we played our hearts out."
Boston went on a 16-2 run midway through the final period to turn an 88-74 deficit into a 90-90 tie with just over four minutes left.
Bryant, however, stepped up and sealed the game with a defensive gem, poking the ball away from Pierce as the Lakers clung on to a 97-95 lead with 40 seconds left.
Lakers forward Lamar Odom scooped it up and passed the ball downcourt to a streaking Bryant, whose jam pushed the lead to four points with 37 seconds left.
