Briefs

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Thurles book place in last four after pulling away in second half

Thurles CBS 2-23 Castletroy CC 2-12

GAELIC GAMES:Thurles CBS booked a spot in the last four with victory over Castletroy CC in yesterday’s quarter-final played in Tipperary town.

Thurles led by 0-11 to 0-10 at half-time but could have trailed as Michael Breen’s 26th-minute penalty was saved by Robert Larkin.

Kevin Dunne and Eoin Moriarty scored second half goals for Thurles as Tom Morrissey replied with two for Castletroy.

Thurles play Dungarvan Colleges in the semi-finals.

THURLES CBS: P Maher; R O’Regan, K O’Dwyer, R Larkin; J Lineen, R Maher (0-1 free), B Troy; S Cahill (0-4), P Russell (0-1); S Ryan (0-2), S Nally (0-2), K Dunne (1-2); C Lanigan (0-9, five frees), E Moriarty (1-1), C Maher (0-1). Subs: J Skehan for Russell (47 mins), J Woods for C Maher (52 mins), S Ryan for Dunne (57 mins), R Nally for Cahill (59 mins), C McCullagh for S Nally (60 mins).

CASTLETROY CC: C O’Dwyer; J Porter, M Breen, P Morrissey; L Lyons, A La Touche Cosgrave, P O’Kane; A Hanley, B Nash (0-1); E Doyle, T Morrissey (2-2), S Power (0-9, six frees, one 65); J Nicholas, S Griffen, J Fox. Subs: D Kennedy for Lyons (half-time), J Stack for O’Kane (47 mins), R Murphy for Nicholas (52 mins).

Referee: D Copps (Cork).

Three third-round cup ties as top clubs play catch-up

WOMEN'S HOCKEY:With several Irish Senior Cup ties postponed due to the weather before Christmas, the competition is playing catch-up this weekend with three third-round ties scheduled. Railway Union, who host Hermes in their tie, came agonisingly close to ending their ISC drought in 2010, when they lost on penalty strokes to Loreto, but beat the same opposition in November to set up a meeting with another of their leading Leinster rivals.

Pegasus finally got their twice-postponed tie against Catholic Institute played last week, winning 3-1 in Limerick, but, based on current form, face as stern a test possible when they travel to Dublin to play cup holders UCD. And a week after retaining their National Indoor title, Ards head south to play UCC.

UCD will be back in action again on Sunday when they meet Corinthian in the league, the students currently tied at the top of the table with Railway.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday – Irish Senior Cup, third round: Railway Union v Hermes, Park Avenue, 2.45; UCC v Ards, The Mardyke, 1.0; UCD v Pegasus, Belfield, 1.0. Leinster League – Division One: Trinity v Old Alexandra, Wesley College, 1.30; Glenanne v Loreto, St Mark’s, 4.30.

Sunday: Hermes v Pembroke Wanderers, St Andrews, 2.0; UCD v Corinthian, Belfield, 4.15.

MARY HANNIGAN

Nevin steers Lionhearts to series victory

BOXING:John Joe Nevin outclassed his fellow Olympic silver medallist Daouda Sow to help the British Lionhearts to a home win over the USA Knockouts in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) clash in London last night.

Nevin took all five rounds to earn a unanimous decision over the French lightweight, a finalist at Beijing 2008, at York Hall. His win stretched the Lionhearts’ advantage over the Americans to 2-0 following Kaupo Arro triumph over Jeffrey Camp.

Wales’ Andrew Selby then fired the Lionhearts into an unassailable 3-0 with victory over Ireland’s Michael Conlan, a bronze medal winner at London 2012.

Ireland’s Joe Ward denied the Knockouts a losing bonus point with victory over Croatia’s Marco Calic.