A round-up of today's other stories in brief
No home comfort for Limavady
CRICKET:Limavady Cricket Club has been handed a suspended two-year expulsion from the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup over incidents at last June's second round clash against Instonians at the John Hunter Grounds, writes Emmet Riordan.
The ruling from the Cricket Committee of Cricket Ireland means the club must play all their games away from home in the next two years, while a “further incidence of transgression” could see the club expelled from the all-Ireland competition.
Limavady, a three-time winner of the Irish Senior Cup, were thrown out of this year’s competition after a Cricket Ireland inquiry into the incidents surrounding the abandonment of their tie against Instonians.
Limavady’s former Irish international Des Curry was subsequently handed a 12-month ban from all cricket due to “a number of breaches” of the competition’s strict disciplinary code.
Dromore's suspension confirmed
GAELIC GAMES: Tyrone double winners Dromore's bid to have their recent suspension from next season's top four league play-offs lifted has failed. The Tyrone hearings committee met on Thursday night to consider Dromore's appeal to the sanction proposed by the Tyrone CCC after recent events in the Tyrone league final.
Carrickmore goalkeeper Plunkett McCallan, who was sent off in the final, had requested a personal hearing and he has had his proposed suspension of 48 weeks reduced to 36 weeks.
Meanwhile at the same meeting Tyrone senior player Niall McKenna has been given the green light to play in tomorrow’s Tyrone U-21 championship final against Omagh. McKenna was red-carded late in Donaghmore’s semi-final win over Dromore last weekend but has had the card rescinded.
Corofin fined and have duo suspended
GAELIC GAMES: Galway champions Corofin have been hit with a whopping fine of over €5,000 and two of their members have been suspended for a month arising out of incidents at the Connacht club SFC final two weeks ago.
The Connacht Council launched an investigation after referee Liam Devenney from Mayo, who had booked 14 players during the match, was accosted by angry supporters, players and mentors at the end of the final which was won by St Brigid’s by 0-11 to 0-10.
A special committee set up by the Connacht Council to probe the controversial final have hit Corofin with a fine of €5,100. They have also handed out four weeks suspensions to Corofin forward Justin Burke and selector Michael Donnellan.
Red Bull and Ferrari leave Fota
MOTOR SPORT:World champions Red Bull and rivals Ferrari will withdraw from the Formula One Teams Association (Fota) after failure to reach agreement over cost-cutting measures.
Ferrari said in a statement on Friday the organisation’s “drive has run its course”.
The decision will leave Fota, created to represent a united front in negotiations with commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the governing FIA, with just nine of the 12 teams.
Strugglers Hispania (HRT) pulled out last January, saying it no longer made sense for them to be members, although Fota said the Spanish-based team had failed to pay their membership dues.
“Red Bull Racing can confirm it has served notice to withdraw from Fota,” the team of double world champion Sebastian Vettel said in a statement just five days after the end of the season in Brazil.
Ponting stiffens Aussies' resolve
CRICKET: Ricky Ponting looked poised to make amends for running out Usman Khawaja with a big score as Australia reached 154-3 in reply to New Zealand's first innings 295 after the second day of the first Test in Brisbane.
Ponting was on 67 when bad light brought an early end to proceedings. Michael Clarke was fortunate to reach 28 after being bowled by Doug Bracewell only for the umpire to call him back for a no-ball.
McNamara leads Irish bid for Qualifying School spots
GOLF: Limerick's Cian McNamara yesterday led the Irish charge for places in the final European Tour Qualifying school in Spain later in the month. McNamara fired a splendid 67 over the Las Colinas course in Alicante in the second stage of qualifying to lie just one stroke off the pace set by five players on 66.
Both David Higgins of Waterville and Aaron O’Callaghan, who plays out of Baton Rouge, are still very much in the hunt on 68 while Niall Kearney after a 72 has some work to do and Brendan McCarroll with a 78 seems out of the hunt.
Meanwhile at La Manga, Neil O’Briain shot a four under par 69 to be four strokes behind joint leaders Graeme Clark and Allan Versfield.
Both Michael McGeady and Colm Moriarty slipped to 75 to spoil their chances. At La Valle Castleknock’s Mark Staunton shot a 69 but remainssix strokes behind leader Joakim Lagergren. Stephen Grant who plays out of the Heritage and Muskerrys Niall Turner are both on 72 and have some work to do.
