A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Ireland level with Estonia going into today's doubles
TENNIS:Ireland and Estonia finished one match apiece after the opening two rubbers of their Euro Africa Zone Group 11 Davis Cup tie in Riverview yesterday.
James McGee got Ireland off to a great start in the opening match of the tie when he beat Jaan Kononov 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes. It was always likely to be a comfortable victory for the Castleknock man who is ranked 342 in the World against his opponent who plays college tennis for Armstrong University in America. The second singles match was a much closer affair. Estonia’s number one Vladimir Ivanov overcame Irish number two Sam Barry 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in 3 hours. Barry, who was playing in his first home Davis Cup, seemed inspired by the occasion as he broke Ivanov in his first service game and went on to take the set 6-3. The main feature of the opening set being the excellent serving of Barry.
Ivanov fought his way back into the match in the second set breaking Barry twice to take the set.
The Estonian, ranked 451 in the World, became more aggressive and dominated the long rallies forcing Barry into mistakesand leave the tie at one match all going into today’s doubles.
ESPN to review snowmobile event following death
X-GAMES:ESPN officials said the network, which organises the X Games, is planning "a thorough review" of snowmobile competitions in the aftermath of Caleb Moore's death.
Moore (25) had been in intensive care since he lost control of his snowmobile and the 450lb machine slammed onto his upper body on January 24th during a backflip in the freestyle competition in Aspen.
His death is the first fatality in the 18-year history of the X Games and has drawn scrutiny to the escalating levels of risk that athletes assume when pushing their sports to new levels.
Since beginning in 1995 with a summer X Games athletes have continued to push to distinguish themselves while knowing the inherent risks of going bigger and bolder.
Pakistan have upper hand in Johannesburg
CRICKET:Pakistan claimed the upper hand after the opening day of the first Test in Johannesburg, dismissing South Africa for just 253 at the Wanderers. Honours had been even throughout much of the day, with the home side battling to 68 for two at lunch and 159 for four at tea, but the Proteas then collapsed from 232 for five.
Mohammad Hafeez finished with figures of four for 16 from just 7.2 overs before he and Nasir Jamshed safely negotiated two overs to reduce their deficit by six runs. While there seemed to be plenty of life in the pitch for the bowlers, South Africa will be disappointed with their total after the top seven batsmen all made at least 20, with only Jacques Kallis (50) going on to make a half-century.
Former head of South African rugby dies
RUGBY:Louis Luyt, the powerful former head of South African rugby who took Nelson Mandela to court, has died aged 80, his former rugby union announced yesterday.
A fertiliser tycoon, Luyt was at the helm of South Africa rugby when it returned from isolation in the early 1990s and stood alongside Mandela on the podium when South Africa won the 1995 World Cup in Johannesburg.
But he clashed with the South African president three years later over a government-ordered inquiry into allegations of lingering racism in rugby.
Luyt left rugby in 1998 to form a political party and briefly owned a Soweto-based soccer club, Moroka Swallows.
Gannon brace sends St Joseph's on their way
St Joseph's CBS 3 St Paul's College, Raheny 0
SOCCER:St Joseph's CBS hit St Paul's for three first half goals in yesterday's Leinster Senior schools cup semi-final at Alfie Byrne Road.
Paul's had previously beaten Joseph's when the sides last met in the league but down key players, the Raheny boys were hit by a wave of devastating attacks on the day with Joseph's striker, Alan Gannon, hitting a brace for the Marino outfit.
A long ball over the top from Ciaran Doyne was finished into the back of the net by twin brother, Stephen.
Paul's, however, made a better go of things after the break with Adam Farrell striking the crossbar.
ST PAUL'S COLLEGE: C Banks, S Lannell, S McConnell, C Ryan, R Dowling, A Rowe, C Ryan, Carl Byrne, J Lyons, A Farrell, Charlie Byrne, L O'Hanlon for Farrell (68 mins)
ST JOSEPH'S CBS: A Conroy, L Grouse, P Gannon, T Murphy, C Bowe, M Byrne, C Doyne, A Gannon, E Dongo, J Devlin, S Doyne J Hopkins for Murphy (61), D Conroy for A Gannon (84 mins) R Ryan for Dongo (81 mins).
