A round-up of the day's other sports news.
Passmore names experienced squad
MEN'S HOCKEY:Irish coach Dave Passmore announced an experienced squad of 18 players to compete in the European Championship in Manchester from August 19th-26th. Fifteen of the 18 players selected competed in the World Cup Qualifiers in Changzhou in April 2006, reports Johnny Watterson.
One important omission from the squad is that of Cork defender Jason Black. The veteran of 112 caps withdrew as his wife is due to give birth during the tournament. Eugene Magee is selected for his first major competition after strong performance over the last 12 months, as is talented young Pembroke defender, Tim Lewis. Passmore has given the goalkeeping positions to Mark Ruddle and Pembroke's David Harte.
SQUAD: M Ruddle (C of I), P Brown (Instonians), K Burns (C of I), R Gormley (Pembroke), S Butler (Glenanne), M Gleghorne (Loughborough), Mark Irwin (Instonians), J Jermyn (C of I), E Magee (Banbridge), G Shaw (Glenanne), D Hobbs (C of I), A Barbour (Cookstown), M Black (Cork Harlequins), T Cockram (Loughborough), P Maguire (HGC), I Lewers (Annadale), T Lewis (Pembroke), D Harte (Pembroke).
Sunday August 19th: Ireland v Spain; Tuesday 21st Ireland v Holland; Wednesday 22nd Ireland v France.
Federation of Ireland announce 23 riders
EQUESTRIAN SPORT:The full Irish squad of 23 riders - five team members and 18 individuals - for next week's Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show was named yesterday by the Equestrian Federation of Ireland, reports Grania Willis.
The quintet from which the Aga Khan team will be selected was announced three weeks ago by team manager Robert Splaine. The five who will be bidding for a place on Ireland's Nations Cup team are Captain Shane Carey, Commandant Gerry Flynn, Conor Swail, Cian O'Connor and Cameron Hanley. They will be joined in the individual classes by Denis Lynch, Ryan Crumley, Marie Burke, Shane Breen, Billy Twomey, Greg Broderick, Francis Connors, Captain David O'Brien, Edward Doyle, Tholm Keane, Clement McMahon, Paul O'Shea, David Quigley, Harry Marshall, Niall Talbot, Jonathan McCrea, Edward Little and Stephen Smith.
The 18 individual riders will be eligible for all classes except Friday's Nations Cup.n ATHLETICS: A serious question mark is starting to surround the form of Derval O'Rourke with the World championships in Osaka less than a month away. Running in Gothenburg last night O'Rourke could only manage third in the 100 metre hurdles in a worryingly slow 13.20 seconds, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Joanne Cuddihy enjoyed contrasting fortunes, however, winning the 400 metres in 51.86 seconds, while David Campbell managed second place in the 800 metres, clocking 1:47.63.
