Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

Tired Gillick finishes third in Lucerne

ATHLETICS: A visibly-tired David Gillick raised himself somewhat from last week's European Championships to finish third over 400 metres in Lucerne, Switzerland, yesterday.

His time of 45.95 seconds was some way off his Irish record and left him chasing LeGerard Batters of the US, who took the victory in 45.40, with Ben Offereins of Australia taking second in 45.70.

Gillick appeared to have the exertions of the European Championships still in his legs, where he finished a disappointed fifth in the final, but is still determined to salvage something more positive from his season.

He will next run in the Diamond League meeting in London on Friday night, and follow that with a run in Zurich.

Meanwhile, Ireland had a good victory over Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the Celtic International under aged event staged in Athlone IT on Saturday.

Lynch takes British Topper honours

AS more than 800 Olympic contenders go into action at the London 2012 venue in Weymouth, Dorset, at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta this morning, Blessington Sailing Club is celebrating a notable result by Finn Lynch who won the British Topper class Championship in Wales on Friday, reports David Branigan.

In winds generally around 15-18knots in Pwhelli, Lynch showed no signs of nerves at the top of the fleet to post a very very impressive 1, 1, 2 in the Gold fleet to increase his lead at the top and sit on just 15 points from 9 counting races.

He won with 13 points to spare but more noteworthy was the record 300-plus turn-out for the championship that is considered by coaching sources to be on a par with the world championship.

The Topper is a pathway boat to Olympic classes such as the Laser.

Lynch, who is 14 years old, finished second in last year’s world championship.

Meanwhile, 11 Olympic hopefuls are in the Irish Sailing Association squad at Weymouth this week.

The line-up includes four Irish Sports Council World-class carded athletes, including Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks in the Star class and Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial. Peter O’Leary is also campaigning for the Star class selection with David Burrows but the latter is unavailable this week, so Germany’s Frithjof Kleen is sailing as a late substitution.

Gatlin puts on a Tallinn show

ATHLETICS: American sprinter Justin Gatlin clocked 10.17 seconds yesterday to win his second consecutive 100 metres final since coming back from a four-year doping ban.

Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100 metres champion, was running at the Ergo World challenge meeting in Tallinn as he works towards the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Before August 3rd, when he also ran in Estonia, he had not raced competitively since June 2006 after being banned because of a positive test for the male sex hormone testosterone and its precursors.

The 28-year-old Gatin bettered his final time from the August 3rd meeting where he ran 10.24 seconds.

Confident Cutler ready for Wales

GOLF: Paul Cutler will head to Wales for this week's Home Internationals in confident mood after a steady performance in the European Amateur Championship in Finland.

The Portstewart player, almost certain to be named in the Britain and Ireland St Andrews Trophy side to face the Continent of Europe later in the month, finished with a two-under-par 70 for a 72-hole total of 287 and a share of 33rd place.

Only once did he go over par – and then only by a stroke – and he finished his final round with a flourish, grabbing birdies on three of the last five holes.

Banbridge’s Rory Leonard,the only other Irishman to make it into the last two rounds, closed with a 72 for a 291 aggregate and a share of 50th spot. His only hiccup was a double bogey five at the third.

Denmark’s Lucas Bjeregaard was crowned as the new champion with a 273 total – 15 under par – with Italian Andre Pavan taking the silver medal and English champion Tommy Fleetwood the bronze.

Hughes makes the top 10 in Racice

ROWING: Turlough Hughes, an 18-year-old who only took up the sport in 2008, yesterday finished 10th in the men's single scull at the World Junior Championships in Racice in the Czech Republic, reports Liam Gorman.

Hughes has improved with each race, and after a testing semi-final on Saturday, where he finished fifth, he conserved his energy yesterday in the middle stages of the B final, and was third (ninth overall) in the closing stages until a fast finish by Zygimantas Galisanskis of Lithuania pushed him back one place. Portugal and Serbia filled the top two places.

“It was a great race today,” said Alan Thomas, the man who started coaching Hughes in February 2008 at King’s Hospital because his own son, Sam, was taking up the sport. Since then Hughes has risen and risen.

“Compared to where he was at the beginning of the year, he has made great progress,” said Thomas, who gave great credit to Ireland head coach Adrian Cassidy and his programme. The new Ireland coaching regime garnered a silver medal and three top-10 finishes at the World Under-23 Championships last month.

Thomas said Hughes had been “outpowered” by bigger men in the semi-final on Saturday. However, the Mayo man, who is 6ft 4in (1.93 metres) and slightly built, has huge potential to build up this aspect as he moves into the under-23 grade.

Irish Senior Cup to remain in Leinster

CRICKET: A Leinster side will lift the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup for the ninth time in the last 10 years after Railway Union and Merrion both made it through to the final last Saturday, reports Emmet Riordan.

An opening stand of 182 between Kenny Carroll and Tom Fisher propelled Railway towards a massive total of 315 for six away to Fox Lodge.

The North West side certainly didn’t help themselves, spilling seven catches, including Fisher three times before he was eventually out for 123, while Carroll celebrated his call-up to the Ireland A side with 92 from 91 balls.

There was no way back for Fox Lodge after they were reduced to 11 for three and they were eventually bowled out for 192 to wrap up a 123-run victory.

Merrion caused a shock in their 81-run win away to Waringstown, where they recovered from 16 for four to make 202 for nine.

John Anderson proved the hero for the Ballsbridge outfit, scoring 101 before they went on to bowl out the NCU side for 121.

Meanwhile, the final is set to be brought back to Friday August 30th to allow Railway’s Irish internationals Trent Johnston and Kevin O’Brien play before they depart on a tour of Canada.

Haider’s courageous 88 makes fight of second Test

CRICKET:Debutant Zulqarnain Haider scored a courageous 88 to frustrate England's bid to win inside three days against Pakistan in the second Test at Edgbaston yesterday.

Pakistan, bowled out for just 72 on Friday before England replied with 251, reached 291 for nine at stumps to lead by 112 with two days remaining. Umar Gul, batting with a runner, was on nine and Mohammad Asif had 13.

Haider came in at 82 for five with his team still 97 runs from avoiding an innings loss. Partnerships of 52 with Mohammad Amir and 115 with Saeed Ajmal, who hit a career best 50, ensured England were at least given a fight.

Pakistan, 1-0 down in the four-match series, were jolted by an inspired spell either side of lunch by off-spinner Swann, who took a Test-best six for 60. Haider dug in before he was the ninth victim when he drove Swann to mid-off.

Pakistan, 19 for one overnight, almost survived the first hour of the morning until Swann made his entrance by taking a wicket with his third ball of the match. Left-hander Imran Farhat (29) was bowled when Swann came around the wicket, pitched the ball outside his leg stump only for it to spin sharply enough to take off stump.

Right-hander Azhar Ali perished to another spitting off-break from Swann for 19. Finn added the wicket of Shoaib Malik (3).

Swann added Umar Amin (14) after lunch, stumped by Prior.

Amir eventually edged Broad to Andrew Strauss at first slip shortly after tea. Ajmal hung around to make a 50 off 77 balls, before edging Swann to Strauss at slip .