A round-up of today's other stories in brief
McNulty extends his advantage
MOTOR SPORT: Meath’s Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) extended his lead in the Dunlop National Rally Championship with a strong victory in the Monaghan Rally, the second round of the series.
At the conclusion of the day’s nine stages, McNulty was 43 seconds ahead of local star, Niall Maguire (Subaru WRC). Dubliner, Robert Barrable, driving a Skoda Fabia S2000, was third, some 25 seconds further adrift.
Monaghan’s, Daniel McKenna (Ford Escort) won the Modified category and another local driver, Sam Moffett (Mitsubishi) fared best in the Group N category.
A 14-second gain from the opening stage gave McNulty the perfect platform for victory. By the end of the opening loop, he led Maguire by 26 seconds and three stages later, the margin became 42 seconds. Maguire had to settle for second, but his performance through the second loop gave him the edge over Barrable. With his second win, McNulty is now 16 points ahead of Sam Moffett.
Ireland's chances receive a boost
EQUESTRIAN: Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the dressage championships at the Para-Olympics in London next year received a boost when the team finished third in the three-star event in Deauville on Saturday, writes Margie McLoone,
Eilish Byrne from Dundalk captured second place in both team and individual championships on Youri while Helen Kearney won her team test and placed third in her individual class with Mister Cool.
Kildalton College’s Rosemary Gaffney finished seventh in her team test with Aldham Mill Dubloon and placed fourth in the individual competition. Angela Lyons was eighth in the team and individual results on Rizaro while Kathryn Wheelock had a fifth place finish in the team test and an eighth in the individual with Westpoint First of Many.
In yesterday’s Freestyle classes, Kearney posted the best result for Ireland when winning her IA section on Mister Cool.
In show jumping, the Irish pony squad competing at Fontainebleau recorded a second successive victory in the French Nations’ Cup on Saturday.
The Irish quartet of Tom Foley (Dibidoe), Eoin McMahon (Homeflight II), Roisin Kenny (Blessington Grange Mist) and Emma O’Dwyer (Jacknell Street) took gold after a jump-off.
Haider heading home to Pakistan
CRICKET: Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider will return home from London and withdraw his application seeking asylum status from the British Home Office following his allegations of death threats from a match fixer.
Haider said he would return later this week after he held talks with Pakistans interior minister, Rehman Malik, and was given assurances about his security.
Haider had fled the team hotel in Dubai last November during a one-day series with South Africa.
Campbell no match for Murphy
SNOOKER: Marcus Campbell yesterday avoided the humiliation of a whitewash at the World Championship but could not prevent Shaun Murphy putting the finishing touches to a 10-1 first-round victory.
Campbell trailed 9-0 following the opening session as Murphy homed in on the last 16 – rattling in breaks of 93, 100, 56, 68, 53, 75, 53, 99 and 96. That placed the Scot in danger of becoming the second man in Crucible history to go out without winning a frame. John Parrott, as defending champion, trounced Eddie Charlton 10-0 in 1992.
But a fluked red came along during a break of 62 to help Campbell accomplish his modest mission. Murphy now faces the winner of today’s match between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Dominic Dale.
Welshman Williams beat his compatriot and good friend Ryan Day 10-5 to set up a second-round clash with Jamie Cope.
Cork and Laois qualify for National League final
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL: Cork, the defending champions, will meet Laois in the Bord Gáis Energy National Football League Division One final on Saturday, May 7.
Rampant Cork, chasing a fourth successive league crown, hammered last year’s Division Two champions Donegal 7-16 to 1-10 in their semi-final at Tuam Stadium yesterday while Laois recorded a 2-11 to 1-10 victory over Monaghan in Ballymahon, Longford.
Those results have set up a first Division One final meeting between Cork and Laois since 1993.
Valerie Mulcahy finished as top scorer for the Leesiders with 1-5.
Meanwhile, Laois overturned a two-point half-time deficit to record an upset against Monaghan. Martha Kirwan and Sinead Doogue scored the goals for Laois, who trailed by 1-5 to 1-7 at the break while Tracey Lawlor hit six points. Aoife McAnespie scored Monaghan’s goal.
In Division Two, All-Ireland senior champions Dublin and Leinster rivals Meath gained promotion to the top flight after winning their respective semi-finals at the weekend. Sinead Aherne scored 1-2 as Dublin outclassed Cavan 3-12 to 1-9 in Ardee on Saturday. Meath recorded a 1-11 to 0-11 win over Kerry in Cahir.
In Division 3, Clare and Fermanagh claimed the promotion spots and final places on offer with wins over Wicklow (5-13 to 2-12) and Down (4-7 to 1-15) respectively.
And in Division 4, Westmeath and Roscommon bounced straight back to Division 3 following their wins.
Egyptians claim glory on the double
SQUASH: There was an Egyptian double at the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Squash Open on Saturday when Tarek Momen and Nour El Tayeb both upset the seedings to win the men’s and women’s titles at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis club, writes Mary Hannigan.
El Tayeb prevailed in a marathon women’s final that lasted 110 minutes, having trailed New Zealand’s Jaclyn Hawkes by two games. The 18-year-old was just three points from defeat in the third game, when Hawkes led 8-5, but produced a stirring fightback to claim the title, winning the decider 16-14.
Hawkes had beaten Madeline Perry in the semi-finals on Friday after the Irish champion was forced to concede, when 2-0 down, with a back injury she had sustained in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, El Tayeb’s compatriot, the unseeded Momen, beat top seed Stewart Boswell of Australia in four games to take the men’s title.
Gilbert retains his title in style
CYCLING: Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert won his second successful Amstel Gold Race yesterday, working in the finale to help recapture rival Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) yet easily winning the uphill sprint to the line, writes Shane Stokes.
Gilbert was by far the strongest in the finale of the Cauberg, opening a two-second gap over Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha Team) and four over Simon Gerrans (Sky Procycling). Philip Deignan (RadioShack) was best of the three Irish riders in the race, finishing 2 minutes 28 seconds back in 44th. Nicolas Roche was 19 seconds further back in 59th, while Matt Brammeier ( HTC Highroad) was a non-finisher.
At home, Conor Murphy (Eurocycles) won yesterday’s Joey White Memorial, beating Adam Armstrong (EuroCycles) and Fiachra O’Mhuire (Dectek) to the line in Stamullen.
