SNOOKER: Ken Doherty, among the favourites for next weeks Irish Masters at Citywest, will meet Shaun Murphy, a highly regarded 20 year-old from Irthlingborough , in the first round of the World Championships at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, from April 19th to May 5th.
Defending champion Peter Ebdon opens against a player in the best form of his career. Ebdon is paired with Gerard Greene, a fast potting left-hander who has already jumped 21 places to 42nd in the provisional world rankings this season and is sure to go higher. Mark Williams, who currently holds a healthy lead at the top of the provisional world rankings meets Stuart Pettman.
HURLING: With Maurice O'Brien and Olly Moran on the treatment table following injuries picked up in that surprise defeat by Offaly, the Limerick hurling selectors have given recalls to Steve McDonogh and Brian Begley for tomorrow's visit to Wexford, in division 1B of the NHL.
LIMERICK (SF v Wexford): T Houlihan; D Reale, E Mulcahy, S McDonogh; E Foley, B Geary, C Smith; P Lawlor, Mike O'Brien; J Moran, M Foley, B Begley; D Sheehan, TJ Ryan, M Keane.
SCHOOLS' HOCKEY: Lurgan College held off the challenge of Dublin's St Andrew's to win the All-Ireland Schools' finals in Limerick yesterday, the third success in a row for an Ulster school in the competition. A 2-2 draw in their final game against St Andrew's, who needed to beat Lurgan by five clear goals to take the title on goal difference, proved enough. Hosts Crescent College finished third, ahead of Loreto Wexford and Coláiste Iognáid of Galway.
MOTOR SPORT: With the final round to be run tomorrow, Eamonn Byrne (Delgany) has already won the Hewison Trophy for the ninth time, and is only one away from equaling the record of 10 autotest championships held by Dermot Carnegie. Byrne, on 293 points, cannot be overtaken by JJ Farrell on 289 or Eddie Peterson on 288 who will battle for runner-up in the Co Kildare MC's Autotest at the Curragh Camp.
COLLEGES GAA: Knockbeg College hit two second-half goals to beat Coláiste Phádraig, Lucan, 2-10 to 0-10 in the Leinster Colleges SFC B championship final yesterday.
They hit the front early on but the Dublin side rallied later in the half and a couple of points by Kevin Moran helped the Lucan side to 0-5 to 0-4 half time lead.
John Tierney and Donie Brennan each managed to find the net for Knockbeg to put the game beyond Lucan's reach midway in the second half. Coláiste Phádraig scored only once from play in the second half.
