A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Ryu lifts her first Major
GOLF:South Korea's Ryu So-yeon won her first Major title by beating compatriot Seo Hee-kyung in a three-hole playoff for the weather-delayed US Women's Open yesterday.
The 21-year-old Ryu rolled in a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th green, the third extra hole, to seal her first LPGA victory before pumping her right fist in delight. She was then soaked in champagne by some of her fellow Korean players after they ran across the green.
Bennett enjoys superb win in Belgium
CYCLING:Sam Bennett raced to a superb victory yesterday in the GP van de Stad Geel in Belgium yesterday, winning a large bunch sprint at the end of the 167-kilometre race, writes Shane Stokes.
The An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly rider edged out Jonas Vangenechten (Wallonie-Bruxelles) and Dries Depoorter (Ovyta-Eijssen Acrog) to take the 1.2-ranked event, and got a big morale boost prior to next weekend’s European Road Race Championships in Italy.
“This is a huge result,” general manager Kurt Bogaerts said. “Sam was amazing today and the win will bring him real confidence. “
Meanwhile, Mark Rohan extended his victory sequence to a remarkable six wins out of six races at the paracycling World Cup, winning the H1 road race and time trial in Canada at the weekend.
Garaway to leave Cricket Ireland
CRICKET:Cricket Ireland yesterday announced that high performance director Mark Garaway was leaving the organisation for family reasons. The 37-year-old has been instrumental in Ireland's continued success both on and off the field and he explained the reason for his departure.
“My personal situation has progressed to a point where my working HQ and family base need both to be in England.”
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom paid tribute to Garaway. “We are very sorry to lose Mark, but of course we appreciate that family comes first. He has played the defining role in shaping our cricket department, giving it the structure, dynamism and professionalism that it previously lacked.”
Cricket Ireland will commence the search for a replacement in the coming days, with the position being advertised on the Cricket Ireland website www.irishcricket.org
Molloy makes late charge
GOLF: It is never over until the last card is checked at the North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, at Royal Portrush, and so it was in yesterday's first round of qualifying.
Late in the evening, in stormed Ciarán Molloy, an Ardee plus-two handicapper, to take control of the leaderboard from The Valley where he fired a sunshine 64 to be one stroke ahead of the chasing pack.
The surprise leader raced to the turn in three-under-32 with birdies at the short third hole and the par four fifth and ninth before making his only slip of the day by pencilling in bogey five at the 12th. He then covered the next five holes in four-under with a four at 13, a two at 15 and birdie threes at 16 and 17.
East of Ireland champion Richard O’Donovan also made a sizzling start in his efforts to add the North title to his growing list of awards but he was pipped at the post for top of the pile and also had to share second spot with Derbyshire visitor George Thacker on 65.
Ireland's Tri-nations opener falls victim to weather
CRICKET:Ireland's opening game of the Tri-nations series against Sri Lanka fell victim to the dismal weather that has affected Scotland over recent days, with the game at the Grange ground in Edinburgh finally abandoned just before 3pm yesterday, writes Emmet Riordan.
Heavy overnight rain in the Scottish capital had left the outfield sodden, with the players remaining at their hotels after umpires Marais Erasmus and Ian Ramage called for a 1.30pm inspection. That was pushed back an hour after more rain fell, with the umpires abandoning the game as they believed there would not be sufficient time for the bowler run-ups to dry out ahead of the 4pm cut-off.
Ireland captain William Porterfield was left frustrated, but was optimistic that today’s clash against Scotland will go ahead.
Porterfield confirmed Niall O’Brien will miss the match to play a Twenty20 game for Northamptonshire, with Surrey’s Gary Wilson continuing behind the stumps. Clontarf’s Andrew Poynter is in line to take O’Brien’s place.
