Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

McCloskey wins European title

BOXING: Undefeated Paul McCloskey put an end to the challenge of Daniel Rasilla in the ninth round of their European Light Welterweight title fight at the Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt last night.

McCloskey – who bossed the fight from the start and knocked the Spaniard twice in the ninth before the referee stepped in – is the first Derry fighter to win a European title in over 30 years.

Blessington sculling put back

ROWING:The National Sculling Head of The Rivers scheduled for today in Blessington, Co Wicklow, has been postponed because of the weather.

The event is now scheduled for this day week, November 14th.

Stoner sets the pace in Spain

MOTOR SPORT: Casey Stoner was the pace setter in practice at Valencia yesterday in the opening MotoGP session of the weekend.

Stoner set a best time of 1:32.813 to leave Jorge Lorenzo next fastest.

Leicester shock world champions South Africa

RUGBY: Leicester produced one of the great upsets in tour history by humbling world champions South Africa 22-17 with a fearless display in front of a record crowd at Welford Road last night.

A Tigers XV shorn of 13 regulars through injury and unavailability was expected to provide cannon fodder for a Springbok squad who arrived on a run which included a 2-1 defeat of the Lions and a commanding Tri-Nations series.

But Leicester opened up a 16-8 lead in the first half on the back of sure kicking from their 20-year-old scrumhalf Ben Youngs, and a superb try from Argentina winger Lucas Amorosino. And the English league champions were able to weather a belated Boks response late in the game to secure a famous victory.

Miller starts well in Worlds

CYCLING:Securing a place in the evening's two-way fight for a bronze medal, Cathal Miller yesterday showed excellent form on the opening day of the UCI Paracycling World Championships in Manchester, writes Shane Stokes.

The LC1 rider went almost one second quicker than his national individual pursuit record in the opening heats of the individual pursuit, clocking four minutes 52.733 seconds for the 4km distance.

He was fourth-quickest out of the riders who took part, and was due to go up against Austrian rider Wolfgand Eibeck late yesterday evening. The quicker of the two will take the bronze medal.

Several other Irish paralympic riders were also in action in the evening session on what was the opening day of the paralympic championships.

Murray continues winning comeback

TENNIS:Top seed Andy Murray gave Spaniard Albert Montanes a 6-4 6-2 mauling in the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open as the Scot continued his comeback from a wrist injury.

The world number four, who before this week had not played on the ATP tour since September’s US Open, broke the Montanes serve four times to set up a semi-final today against Fernando Verdasco, after the Spanish fourth seed nailed a slew of crashing winners to brush aside compatriot Tommy Robredo 6-3 6-2.

Nikolay Davydenko beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4 7-6 and will meet Mikhail Youzhny in today’s other semi-final.

All 15 players accept bans

GAA:The clubs involved in the mass brawl which marred Tyrone's showpiece league final have accepted their punishment without a word of dissent.

Fifteen individuals from the Carrickmore and Errigal Ciaran clubs were handed down suspensions totalling 124 weeks earlier this week, and not a single appeal has been lodged.

Players, management, backroom personnel and one supporter were dealt with by disciplinary chiefs within days of the violence which erupted at the end of normal time in last Friday’s Division One decider at Healy Park.

The game ended level after extra-time, and with no appeals to be heard, the replay is set to go ahead today at Pomeroy. Both teams will be severely depleted for the rematch, with several players ruled out of the game.