Other sports stories in brief

IRFU offer second go after ticket glitch

RUGBY:IRFU supporters club members will have another chance to buy tickets for the November internationals and 2009 Six Nations Championship home games after a technical glitch halted online sales yesterday morning.

"Due to technical issues beyond the control of the Irish Rugby Supporters Club, the ticket sale for the forthcoming season to members through the IRFU website, has been suspended and will recommence at a later date," the IRFU said.

Tickets purchased by fans before the system error occurred remain valid and will be confirmed via email by the IRFU in the coming days, an IRFU spokesman said.

The IRFU apologised for the problem and said a new release date will be announced once the purchase checking process is completed.

Tickets for November fixtures with New Zealand and Argentina, as well as Six Nations Championship home games against France and England were released.

 Zurich the venue as Bolt heads cast of 12 Olympians

ATHLETICS:Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will race for the first time since taking the Beijing Games by storm at the Zurich Grand Prix tonight.

Jamaican Bolt, 22, claimed gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, recording world record times in each race.

"I've had some sleep since I've been here so Im not tired," he said. "I'm trying to get my blood pumping again."

Yelena Isinbayeva, Dayron Robles and Kenenisa Bekele are among 12 Olympic champions who will compete in Zurich.

But centre stage will be Bolt, whose coach Glen Mills believes could have run closer to 9.5 seconds on his way to the Olympic 100m title, when he clocked a world record 9.69 secs despite celebrating before crossing the line.

"If he had continued running, the slowest he would have run would have been 9.52," said Mills. "In two more years he should be peaking at this distance and by then I am certain he will be down to there."

Murray faces a difficult choice

MOTOR SPORT:Eoin Murray faces a difficult choice in the two German penultimate rounds of the Seat Leon Eurocup. The Dublin driver is third in the series on 27 points, behind Marin Colak of Croatia on 37 points and Piego Puyo (Spain) on 28, reports Brian Foley.

Murray has two wins this year, at Valencia and Brands Hatch, and if he scores maximum points in Sunday's races at Oschersleben near Berlin he will win a World Touring Car (WTCC) drive with Seat sport at Monza.

However, this would mean that he could not contest the two final championship rounds that same October 4th/5th weekend.

If he takes the risk of not going for the Monza drive he is in a position to go for the Eurocup and the bigger prize of a free European Touring Cup drive with Seat and also if he scores enough points in the finals he will win a free drive in the WTCC in Japan.

Patrick McKenna (Swords), meanwhile, is hot favourite to win tomorrow's Martin Donnelly Trophy feature at Kirkistown.

Taylor opts out of Hungary event 

BOXING:Ireland's Katie Taylor will not defend her Witch Cup title next month because of a niggling back injury.

The world, European and European Union lightweight champion has won two gold medals and two boxer of the tournament awards at the multi-nations tournament in Hungary in the last two years.

But with her world title defence in Ningbo city China in November it was decided to give the event a miss as a precaution.

Maguire and Higgins into quarter-finals

SNOOKER:Defending champion Stephen Maguire and two-time world champion John Higgins booked their places in the Northern Ireland Trophy quarter-finals.

Both Scots triumphed at the Belfast's Waterfront Hall, but while Higgins cruised to a 5-1 victory over Chinese qualifier Liang Wenbo, Maguire had to battle back from 4-2 down to another Scot, Alan McManus, before triumphing 5-4.

Maguire was unhappy he did not play on the main TV table, instead Higgins was given top billing. The world number two refused to do his post-match press conference.

McManus, who had to qualify for this week's €250,000 tournament having fallen down the rankings in recent times, eased into a 2-0 and led 3-1 at the mid-session interval.

And at 4-2 up Mcmanus, looked to be on course for an upset. But Maguire won the last three frames courtesy of breaks of 115, 48 and 61.