Sports Digest

SHOW JUMPING/O'Connor called up in Germany:Marie Burke, Ireland's best-placed rider in last year's World Games, has been dropped from the Irish team for the European Show Jumping Championships, which start in Germany today, reports Grania Willis, Equestrian Correspondent.

The 43-year-old led the Irish team to sixth place at last year's games in Aachen, and finished 24th individually with the stallion Chippison. But team manager Robert Splaine decided to drop the Co Clare combination after yesterday's training round in Mannheim.

Cian O'Connor, who had travelled to Germany as fifth man, has been called in off the subs bench with the mare Echo Beach, leaving Burke eligible only for the non-championship classes.

Ireland have been drawn eighth to jump of 18 nations at the championships, with Cameron Hanley leading off on SIEC Hippica Kerman in today's one-round speed class, which is the first leg of both the team and individual competitions.

Marion Hughes goes at number two with Heritage Transmission, followed by O'Connor on Echo Beach. World number four Jessica Kürten, who makes a return to the Irish championship team for the first time since the 2005 Europeans in Italy, is last to go on Castle Forbes Libertina.

The Mannheim championships are the last chance for Team Ireland to qualify for next year's Beijing Olympic Games.

The Netherlands, US, Germany and Ukraine have already booked their tickets for Hong Kong, where the Olympic equestrian sports will be staged. Ireland need to finish in the top three of countries not already qualified in the Nations Cup, which will be run over two days - tomorrow and Friday - to decide the team medals in Mannheim. The individual final is scheduled for Sunday.

The Germans start as hosts, defending champions and red-hot favourites, having won an incredible six of a possible 16 team golds and 13 of 28 individual titles.

WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES:Ireland's Danielle McVeigh lies second in the individual golf at the World University Games after the opening day's play. The Texas University student from Kilkeel, Co Down, carded a level par 72.

Ireland's team, which also includes Niamh Kitching and Gillian O'Leary, are lying third.

McVeigh lies one shot off the leader after a round of three bogeys and three birdies.

As the action came to a close in the pool, Barry Murphy fared the best of the Irish, qualifying from his morning heat of the 50 metre freestyle for the evening's B final (places nine to 16), where he finished seventh (15 overall) in 23.06 seconds.

Jonny Nixon was sixth in his heat of the 50 metre breaststroke in 29.97, with Melanie Nocher seventh in her heat of the 200 metre backstroke in 2:21.52.

Kevin Stacey placed second after his 30 lengths of the pool in the opening heat of the 1,500 metre freestyle in 16:30.17.

Clare Dawson was second in her heat of the 50 metre freestyle in 27.15, but only the winner progressed.

BASKETBALL:The UCC Demons have named Chris Sparks as their new head coach for the coming Superleague season, writes Gavin Cummiskey.

The native of Milford, Ohio, has the daunting task of replacing Pat Price, who will go down as one of the most successful coaches in Irish basketball history after seven years with the Cork club.

Sparks arrives in Ireland early next week after two seasons based in Christchurch, New Zealand, coaching the Canterbury Rams.

His playing career peaked at Valparaiso University, in Indiana, when they reached the NCAA "Sweet 16" in 1998 before losing to Rhode Island.

GOLF:Dubliner Ronan Burke has a dawn start in the Boys Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl this morning after battling his way into the second round.

The 18-year-old from the Castle club staved off a brave fightback by Daniel Shevill to triumph on the home green.

Burke was four up after eight holes and seemed to be cruising, but slowly Shevill got back into the game and Burke was delighted when the 18th arrived.

"It was a battle although I played steadily and was around level par," said Burke, who this morning meets Denmark's Nicolai Aogoard.

Irish Boys champion Stephen Healy was a surprise casualty losing 2 and 1 to Henry Smart, who established an early, two-hole advantage, and although it was back to square by the turn the English lad won 12 and 14 and when Healy, from Claremorris, missed a tiddler at 16 it was virtually all over.

Rosslare's Chris Drumm also went out at the 19th to Alex Glover who played an immaculate wedge to the extra hole to finish proceedings.

Mallow's Ciarán McKenna was a 5 and 4 winner over Truro's Billy Downing. Today he faces Finland international Henri Pyykala.

Meanwhile, in the Girls British Open Amateur Championship just along the coast at Southerndown, Royal Portrush teenager Stephanie Meadow, last year's Irish champion, easily qualified for the knock-out phase with a 152 aggregate after an excellent second round of 73.

CYCLING:Following seventh place on Monday, Nicolas Roche showed more good form when he finished 16th on yesterday's tough mountain stage in the Tour de l'Ain, writes Shane Stokes.

The Crédit Agricole rider crossed the line five minutes 52 seconds behind stage winner John Gadret (AG2r Prévoyance) on the 128km race.

Gadret now leads the general classification by 39 seconds from his team-mate Ludovic Turpin. Roche is 32nd, 14:02 back.