GOLF:Ireland will continue to have a presence on the European Challenge Tour schedule with yesterday's news that Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club, just outside Athlone in Westmeath, will stage the Challenge of Ireland over the August bank holiday weekend.
The new, €150,000 event, to be staged at the Christy O'Connor Jnr-designed parkland on August 2nd-5th, follows the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge which was held at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club for the last two years.
Last year 39 Irish professionals were in the field when Donegal's Michael McGeady just missed out and finished joint runner-up behind Australia's John Wade.
Providing local interest at the Glasson event will be former Walker Cup player Colm Moriarty, the complex's touring professional.
Birrell aims for a win over Canada to set tone
CRICKET:Ireland coach Adrian Birrell hopes his side will go into the World Cup on the back of a morale-boosting warm-up win over Canada.
The Irish take on their fellow minnows in Trinidad today in their final game before their tournament opener against Zimbabwe on March 15th in Jamaica.
The team have already been buoyed by a strong showing against top-ranked South Africa in their first warm-up game - which they only lost by 35 runs after putting themselves in a strong position - and Birrell has his sights on a win.
"This game is very important," Birrell said ahead of the match at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St Augustine.
"We want to get into a winning mood. We competed favourably for 90 overs against South Africa and we would like to keep that momentum going."
At one stage on Monday South Africa were reduced to 91 for eight by the Irish before rallying to 192.
In reply Ireland cruised to 135 for four but crashed to 157 all out.
It was a performance Birrell feels is certain to stand the team in good stead.
"If nothing else, I think that it showed us that we can compete against the world's best," said Birrell, who stands down at the end of the tournament.
Both Ireland and Canada were unaffected yesterday morning by a gas leak at their hotel in Port of Spain. The Hilton hotel needed to be evacuated - with members of the South Africa and Pakistan teams also staying there having to get out - but Ireland and Canada had already left for training.
