Garda eight spring a surprise

Sports Digest/ROWING: A new-look Garda eight, their sights set on this year's Thames Cup at Henley, were the surprise packets of the weekend's regattas at Islandbridge, reports Liam Gorman.

Garda surprised a Commercial crew with international Niall O'Toole on board in the semi-finals of the Neptune regatta on Saturday and then beat a Lady Elizabeth/Trinity composite in the final by one third of a length.

At yesterday's Commercial regatta the host club took their chance to make partial amends. With Garda not entered, Commercial beat the Lady Elizabeth/Trinity composite in the final by three-quarters of a length.

Both regattas looked a little threadbare at times. The shadow cast by the burgeoning international programme was illustrated in a rather flat final of the men's senior single sculls on Saturday. Neil Casey's win over Andy Coleman was a facile one. Gearóid Towey was part of an Neptune senior four which beat an experienced Commercial crew by five lengths in the final of the club's own regatta.

Neptune had a good Saturday, with rising star Paul O'Brien winning the intermediate single sculls title - he is only 17. Neptune's senior women's eight beat Trinity by a canvas. Trinity also lost out in the women's senior fours, this time to UCD.

Garda's Caroline Ryan had a welcome return from injury in her win over Susan Maher (formerly Susan O'Brien) in the women's senior single sculls final. Maher took her chance to gain some glory by winning the senior singles title at Commercial yesterday.

GAELIC GAMES: Kerry's Dara Ó Cinnéide had to retire yesterday with yet another hamstring injury and Tomás Ó Sé also hobbled off with an knee injury during An Ghaeltacht's 0-9 to 1-5 win over Dingle in Division One of the county league.

Meanwhile, the prospects of a return to the Tyrone squad by Peter Canavan have suffered a setback. Canavan, who was out with a hamstring injury, was named for yesterday's Ulster League semi-final, but failed to appear for Errigal Ciarán, who defeated Bryansford, Down, by 1-13 to 0-11.

WOMEN'S GAELIC GAMES: Laois continued their march back towards top-flight football yesterday with a win over Cavan in their Division Two National League quarter-final at Virginia, 1-15 to 3-3. In Markievicz Park , Sligo accounted for Longford, 1-11 to 1-9, while Donegal saw off Limerick in Castlebar, 3-18 to 1-7. On Saturday, Armagh beat Wexford 2-12 to 0-12.

CYCLING: Northern Ireland rider Ryan Connor (Driving Force Logistics) placed 15th on the opening stage of the Circuit des Ardennes, crossing the line in the same time as winner Alexandre Usov of the Ag2R Prévoyance team, reports Shane Stokes.

Usov's team-mate Mark Scanlon also finished in the main bunch, while Philip Deignan was 88th. Deignan was best of the three riders on stage two, placing 31st, while Scanlon was 23rd in the stage three time trial. The Sligoman was best placed overall after the TT in 33rd place.