Sports Digest

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

Nevin signs deal with Paris team

BOXING: Irish bantamweight John Joe Nevin, who reached the last-16 at the Beijing Olympics, has signed with Paris in the new World Series of Boxing which gloves off across three continents next month.

The 21-year old Irish champion inked a three-year deal with Paris at the National Stadium in Dublin yesterday and will team up with the French side on November 1st.

Paris meet Milan in their first match in mid-November in a group that also includes Istanbul and Moscow, with contests taking place home and away over 12 matches in the European group.

Eight teams from the Americas and Asia will battle it out in the corresponding groups. The three group winners and best second place team will qualify for the play-offs.The play-off winners will then meet in the finals in Macau, China next March.

I’m delighted to have signed with Paris,” said Nevin, who boxes out of the Cavan BC. “Paris is just a two-hour flight from Ireland and I know one of the coaches and Alexis Vastine so I won’t be a stranger out there.

“The Individual World Series of Boxing is a great incentive as it offers an extra opportunity for boxers to qualify for the London Olympics, which is a major goal of mine over the next two years.”

Nevin’s first fight for Paris against Milan could see him trade leather with either Vincenzo Picardi, who he beat 11-3 when Ireland thrashed Italy in Dublin this year, or Vittorio Parrinello.

“I’ve had a look at my opponents in the World Series of Boxing on the European teams and I’m ranked higher than them so I believe I can do well. I’m going to have some tough challenges ahead, but that’s what it’s all about at this level.”

Ken Egan has already signed a three-year deal with Miami in the WSB. The Olympic silver-medalist and 10-time Irish champion is due to travel to the US as soon as he receives visa clearance. His opening fight will be against either LA light-heavyweight Lamar Fenner or reserve Joshua Ndere of Kenya.

Kohli’s century sets up India victory

CRICKET: Virat Kohli hit his highest one-day score to lead India to a five-wicket win over Australia in the second ODI at Visakhapatnam yesterday.

Kohli smashed 118, despite being hampered by severe cramp, to guide the hosts past Australia’s 289 for three with seven balls to spare.

Stand-in Australia captain Michael Clarke had earlier returned to form as he hit his fifth ODI century, although his knock was overshadowed by a blazing late innings from Cameron White.

White smashed an unbeaten 89 from just 49 balls as the tourists took 114 from the final 10 overs.

Joyce and Marshall named for World Cup training camp

CRICKET: Ireland coach Phil Simmons has included both Ed Joyce and Hamish Marshall in a 17-man squad for next month’s World Cup training camp in the Indian city of Pune, writes Emmet Riordan.

The duo are not eligible to represent Ireland in official One-Day Internationals until April of next year after playing for England and New Zealand respectively in the last World Cup.

Cricket Ireland have asked the International Cricket Council for a special dispensation to allow both to take part in the World Cup which starts in India next February, with a decision expected to be taken soon.

Simmons has decided against bringing opening bowler Boyd Rankin and left-arm spinner Regan West on the trip as they recuperate from injury, but Clontarf all-rounder Alex Cusack is back after a leg operation.

Ireland will play four matches against invitational sides made up entirely of first-class cricketers.

Strong Irish challenge in France

EQUESTRIAN: The 10 Irish riders who travelled to the FEI world breeding championships for young event horses at Le Lion d’Angers in France were relieved when all horses passed yesterday’s first horse inspection, writes Margie McLoone.

England-based Aoife Clark, on board John Forde’s Miss AJ, will be the first rider into the dressage arena today in the CCI* for six-year-olds. The other two Irish competitors in this class ride their tests tomorrow, with Stephen Smith on his own Good Lux Jack, while Joseph Murphy competes with June Burgess’s Over The Vee.

Following the weekend withdrawal of Sarah Ennis and Circle T Malachi, there are seven Irish combinations in the CCI** for seven-year-olds.

Sophie Richards on Fernhill M2S, leads off, followed by Ciara Power on Stonehavens Another Prince, with Rebecca Dunlea on Cashelane Captain and Daisy Duggan on Portphilip Jones completing the line-up.

Clare Abbott riding John and Cormac McKay’s Euro Prince gets the Irish challenge underway tomorrow, followed by Kim O’Gorman and Courage Under Fire, Camilla Speirs and BT Crewmaster.

Ireland falter late on in Argentina

GOLF: Ireland faltered over the closing holes in Buenos Aires last night to surrender an extremely strong position in the opening round of the Espirito Santo Women’s World Team Championships.

With three holes to go they were four under par with two of three cards counting and in joint second place behind America before problems arrived.

Slieve Russell teenager Leona Maguire, two under par for 15 holes, found all sorts of problems on the 398-yard 16th hole and ended up with a double-bogey six before finishing with two pars for a level-par 72.

Danielle McVeigh dropped a stroke on each of the last two holes and also finished on 72. Maguire’s twin sister Lisa had a solid but not spectacular one-over-par round of 73.

It left Ireland in a share of ninth position, eight strokes behind America.