Ferrari's poor show down to tyres
MOTOR SPORT: Tyre manufacturers Bridgestone have taken the blame for Ferrari's poor start to the Formula One season. German world champion Michael Schumacher, driving the 2004 Ferrari that served him so well last season, finished a distant seventh in the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday and failed to finish in the opening race in Melbourne.
Bridgestone Motorsport's technical director Hirohide Hamashima said: "Even if the entire package is important, in this race the responsibility for such a negative result is undoubtedly down to our tyres."
Seven teams in Formula One use Michelin tyres, including Renault who have won both races so far this season.
HOCKEY: For the first time, the all-Ireland championship play-offs (men and women) are to be staged outside of Dublin because the astroturf at the national stadium is being relaid, reports Dermot Ashmore.
Garryduff, Cork, will be the venue for the tournament on April 30th, May 1st and 2nd, marking the opening of C of I's new €800,000 pitch.
The surface at Belfield, Dublin, is to be relaid after the Irish Senior and Junior Cup finals on April 2nd and 3rd and will be ready at the end of July for the visit of Germany for men's and women's internationals and then for the women's European Nations Cup (A) in August.
CYCLING: The Navigators Insurance team of David O'Loughlin and Ciarán Power yesterday had one of its most significant showings yet when it finished an excellent third in the team time trial at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi-Bartali in Italy, reports Shane Stokes.
The two Irish professionals were part of an eight-man team which upstaged the more established ProTour squads, with O'Loughlin, in particular, helping to drive the Navigators train during the flat, technical 12-kilometre test.
O'Loughlin and Power finished in the main bunch on the earlier opening stage, a 95.2-kilometre road race starting and finishing in Riccione. O'Loughlin was one of many riders who came down in a crash with 150 metres to go. O'Loughlin starts today's longest stage from Riccione to Faenza in 18th place, with Power 23rd.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Holders St Louis, Monaghan beat 2002 champions Colaiste Na Sceilge by 3-19 to 4-13 after extra time in the All-Ireland women's post-primary senior A final in Nenagh yesterday.
St Louis led by 1-7 to 0-4 at the break and the sides finished level 3-12 each at the end of normal time with Colaiste na Sceilige's Deirdre Corridon and St Louis's outstanding forward Ciara Connolly both pointing pressure frees deep in injury time to send the game to extra-time.
