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

Productive weekend for Lambe at Huegel Regatta

ROWING:Claire Lambe may not turn 21 until this day week, but she is already coming of age in rowing terms, writes Liam Gorman.

The UCD student provided the highlights for the Ireland team at the Huegel Regatta in Essen, taking second in the in the under-23 lightweight single sculls final yesterday, following a similar placing in the under-23 lightweight double scull on Saturday.

Yesterday, Lambe won her heat, but had to give way in the final to Greek athlete Christina Giazitzidou, who, at 21, has already has amassed a host of medals. She teamed up with Alexandra Tsiavou to win a gold medal in the lightweight double scull at the European Championships and a bronze in the same boat in last year’s World Championships.

On Saturday, Lambe and Skibbereen’s Denise Walsh – who is just 18 –sculled to an excellent second place in the under-23 lightweight double sculls final.

Two other second places were notable on the day: Sanita Puspure improved on a disappointing third place in the heat to take second in the women’s single sculls final.

And Niall Kenny was second in the under-23 lightweight single sculls final – a race in which Peter Hanily was fifth.

Yesterday, Kenny, of NUIG in Galway, partnered Justin Ryan to third in the under-23 lightweight double sculls final, and was also part of a quadruple scull which took fourth place. Galway’s Siobhán McCrohan could not compete on Saturday because of what Ireland performance director Martin McElroy said was a medical condition, but she finished sixth in yesterday’s final of the lightweight single scull.

Old Alexandra book league spot

HOCKEY:Next season's Irish Hockey League line-up is complete after the wildcard play-offs in Garryduff at the weekend, with Old Alexandra and UCC qualifying for the women's competition and Three Rock Rovers and Instonians sealing their places in the men's, writes Mary Hannigan.

Three wins out of three, without conceding a goal, saw Alexandra ease to qualification, while UCC’s defeats of Ards and Greenfields clinched them the runners-up spot. Three Rock, meanwhile, booked their place by following up Friday’s 2-1 win over Bandon with a 1-1 draw against Instonians, the Ulster side joining them in the IHL by beating Bandon yesterday.

Irish Hockey League – Wildcard play-offs (at Garryduff) – Saturday: UCC 2 Ards 1; Old Alexandra 7 Greenfields 0. Yesterday: Alexandra 1 Ards 0; UCC 4 Greenfields 1. Men – Saturday: Three Rock 1 Instonians 1. Yesterday: Bandon 0 Instonians 3.

Irish Hockey League – 2011-12 pools – Women - Pool A: Hermes, Pegasus, Armagh, UCD, Catholic Institute, Old Alexandra. Pool B: Ballymoney, Loreto, Railway Union, Lurgan, Cork Harlequins, UCC. Men – Pool A: Glenanne, Banbridge, Cookstown, Monkstown, Cork Harlequins, Instonians. Pool B: Lisnagarvey, YMCA, Pembroke Wanderers, Annadale, Church of Ireland, Three Rock Rovers.

Petacchi sprints to stage victory

CYCLING:Alessandro Petacchi edged out an irate Mark Cavendish as he won the first mass sprint of this year's Giro d'Italia, although the Briton has taken the general classification lead. Cavendish felt the Italian had not held his line over the final 200 metres.

Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) beat HTC-Highroad’s Cavendish in a frantic final stretch of the 244-kilometre stage from Alba to Parma, with Manuel Belletti (Colnago – CSF Inox) third and Roberto Ferrari of Androni Giocattoli in fourth.

McNulty maintains unbeaten record

MOTOR SPORT: Dunlop National Rally Championship leader Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) maintained his unbeaten record in the current series with victory in the Mount Wolseley Carlow Rally, the third round of the campaign.

The Meath driver and his Sligo co-driver, Paul Kiely, who were down in fifth place after the first stage, finished 15 seconds ahead of the Skoda Fabia S2000 of Dubliner, Robert Barrable. Monaghan’s, Daniel McKenna (Ford Escort), who led initially, was third – 40 seconds further behind.

Following some suspension adjustments after the opening stage, McNulty was ahead at the service halt following the completion of the third test and went on to take victory, even though he had to replace the power steering pump on three occasions.

Former back to back national champion, Carlow’s Stephen Murphy (Subaru WRC) finished fourth. The Group N category was won by Stephen Cullen (Subaru).

Lucrative payday for Twomey

EQUESTRIAN:Ireland's Billy Twomey recorded his first success on the Global Champions Tour when claiming Saturday evening's Spanish leg in Valencia riding his own and Sue Davies's Je t'Aime Flamenco, writes Margie McLoone.

Nineteen riders went through to the second round of the 1.60m competition from a start list of 49 with Twomey and the 12-year-old bay stallion one of just four to record a double clear. The combination was second last to go in the jump-off and, again faultless, set an excellent time of 39.18 which Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum failed to better on Gotha (40.04).

“The horse was just fantastic and seemed to go better in each round,” said 34-year-old Twomey who picked up €90,000 for his evening’s efforts. “I’ve been to a lot of these Global Champions Tours and it’s nice to finally get one in the bag.”

With a single time fault in round two, Denis Lynch bowed out with Abbervail van het Dingeshof but collected €16,000 for finishing fifth.