Sports digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Mooney ruled out of UAE event

CRICKET:Cricket Ireland last night confirmed that John Mooney has been ruled out of the remainder of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers currently being held in the UAE. The North County all-rounder suffered a torn hamstring during Ireland's 17-run win against Scotland yesterday in Dubai. Ireland coach Phil Simmons will apply to the Event Technical Committee for a replacement for Mooney.

McCambridge books her ticket to London Olympics

ATHLETICS: Maria McCambridge only made the Athens Olympics on a last-minute appeal, but she is almost certainly on her way to London after achieving the A-standard in Rome yesterday, writes Ian O'Riordan.

McCambridge’s two hours, 36 minutes and 37 seconds in the Rome marathon was inside the A-standard, and now gives Ireland its full quota in the women’s marathon for the first time in Olympic history.

It was a typically brave and determined effort from the 36-year-old, who did struggle to maintain the pace in the final miles but still finished inside the necessary 2:37:00 A-standard, and actually ninth best woman overall. She thus joins her former Dundrum South Dublin team-mates Linda Byrne and Ava Hutchinson, who already have the marathon A-standard: McCambridge also ran for Dundrum, but now runs for Letterkenny Athletic club.

Lennon accuses referee Collum

SOCCER:Kilmarnock won the Scottish League Cup for the first time with a shock 1-0 victory over Premier League leaders Celtic in the final at Hampden Park yesterday but angry Celtic boss Neil Lennon claimed referee Willie Collum had cost his club the chance of a possible treble after a "criminal decision" not to award them a last-minute penalty. As Celtic chased the equaliser, Anthony Stokes went to ground after a challenge by defender Michael Nelson and in instead of celebrating a spot-kick, he was horrified to be booked for simulation. Celtic could wrap up the Premier League title at Ibrox next week and are in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, but Lennon was adamant that Collum had prevented his side winning all three major trophies.

Turner finishes third in Cambodia

GOLF:  Niall Turner (Team Ireland) has had a great result in the Cambodian classic. He finished 3rd at 14 under with rounds of 67 67 68 72 (274). The event was won by Davd Lipsky (USA) at 15 under in a play-off with Elmer Salvador. He had rounds of 73 68 67 65 (273). Turner made his Asian Tour debut in 2011. He claimed three top-20s in his first nine months on Tour but struggled at the tail-end of the season.

Walker first casualty of leg five

SAILING:Leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race got underway yesterday with each of the six skippers predicting extreme conditions for the first few days of the 6,700 nautical-mile course from Auckland to Itajai in Brazil.

Within six hours, Ian Walker and the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team were the first to deliver on the expectations by suspending racing due to a broken bulkhead incurred as they reached open waters outside the shelter of the Waitemata Harbour and surrounding islands.

The only Kiwi skipper in the race made good on home waters as Mike Sanderson on Team Sanya won the start and tore ahead of the fleet off the Auckland city waterfront and brought the pursuing pack out to sea before he was reeled in on the route out towards Great Barrier Island.

After the local Emirates Team, New Zealand-crewed Camper entry won Saturday’s In-Port Race, the overall standings have tightened on the points table though Iker Martinez’ Telefonica remains overall leader, followed by Franck Cammas’ Groupama 4 and Chris Nicholson’s Camper in third.

This latest leg, which marks the halfway stage, is likely to be the most decisive and probably the toughest stage of the 39,000 mile race.

Azarenka clinches fourth title

TENNIS: World number one Victoria Azarenka clinched her fourth title of the year with a ruthless 6-2 6-3 demolition of Maria Sharapova in the final of the Indian Wells WTA tournament yesterday.

The Belarusian broke Sharapova’s serve twice in the opening set and four times in the second to seal a commanding victory in one hour, 26 minutes on the showpiece stadium court.

Roger Federer beat American John Isner 7-6 6-3 to become the first player to win the Indian Wells ATP tournament four times.The Swiss world number three blunted the powerful serving of Isner with a controlled display, edging the American 9-7 in the first set tiebreak then breaking him twice in the second set to triumph in one hour and 21 minutes.

Federer clinched the title when the towering Isner, who upset world number one Serb Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, dumped a forehand into the net.