SPORTS DIGEST:SOCCER: Garry Cook's erratic three-year tenure as Manchester City's chief executive ended in controversy and humiliation when the club's investigation concluded he had lied about writing the email mocking Nedum Onuoha's mother's cancer, and he paid the price with his job, writes DANIEL TAYLOR.
The findings of an inquiry led by the club's Abu Dhabi rulers concluded he had committed what Cook later described as "an error of judgment". He resigned from his €2.1 million-a-year role before he was sacked, taking with him a considerable severance package.
The club's owner, Sheikh Mansour, and the chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, had decided Cook's treatment of Dr Anthonia Onuoha was one public embarrassment too many and, having bought the club to promote Abu Dhabi's reputation, their conclusion was they had to get rid of a man whose impressive work behind the scenes has been often undermined by bad publicity.
Guardian Service
Italian pairing complete Star victory
SAILING:A full range of conditions was delivered to the Star European championship fleet on Dublin Bay yesterday as light and shifty winds completed the eight race series that was won by Diego Negri and Enrico Voltolini of Italy, the week-long overall leaders.
The former 2008 European champion helm was able to abandon the final in which he couldn’t better a discarded eight from earlier in the week in which he and his crew won half the races.
Irish hopes were pinned on Peter O’Leary and David Burrows who had started out well and were third overall early. But after slipping to fifth, they were only able to recover to third place after yesterday’s final.
Martin and Roche set for top 20
CYCLING:Irish duo Daniel Martin and Nicolas Roche each appear set to finish in the top 20 overall in the Vuelta a España tomorrow, with the two riders finishing alongside the main favourites on yesterday's lumpy stage to Bilbao.
Both finished in a 20-man chase group which sprinted in one minute 33 seconds behind winner Igor Anton (Euskaltel-Euskadi). They were 13th and 14th across the line. Overnight race leader Juan Jose Cobo (Geox TMC) was also present, as was second-placed Chris Froome (Sky Procycling), who had started the day just 13 seconds back overall.
Both Martin (Garmin-Cervélo) and Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale) moved up in the general classification, with the former going from 14th to 13th and the latter moving from 18th to 16th.
Today’s penultimate stage includes the first category Urkiola climb.
Bopara keeps cool to seal win
CRICKET:England held their nerve to pull off an awkward Duckworth-Lewis run chase at The Oval last night and take an unassailable 2-0 lead over India in the one-day series.
It fell to Ravi Bopara to score the telling runs after Craig Kieswetter (51) had made an encouraging start in reply to 234 for seven — only for two wickets to twice fall in successive overs and dent England’s momentum either side of an unscripted break for rain.
New recruit Ravindra Jadeja (78) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (69) had given India a chance, after James Anderson had reduced the tourists to 13 for three and then 58 for five.
But in the end England just had enough batting depth to prevail, with seven balls and three wickets to spare, and remain on course for an unprecedented whitewash of India in all three formats this summer.
The two sides meet at Lord’s tomorrow in the fourth game as England chase another whitewash.
Heurteau holds Irish hopes in Slovakia
ROWING:Paris-born Irishman Ciarán Heurteau was the one Ireland competitor of five K1 paddlers to make it through first round heats at the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava yesterday.
If Ireland are to qualify a boat for the Olympic Games, Heurteau must place his boat in the top 15 in tomorrow’s semi-finals, with each nation allowed just one boat.
Yesterday was a particularly disappointing day for Eoin Rheinisch. With 40 to go through to the semi-finals, the Beijing Olympian placed 44th in the first run, while Heurteau was 53rd. But while Heurteau bettered his time in the second run and finished 38th, Rheinisch had a disastrous run, incurring three 50-second penalties.
After the two runs were completed his time in the first run placed him 54th overall. Our third K1 man, Patrick Hynes, finished 80th.
The two Ireland women failed to make the top 30 which would have lifted them into the semi-finals. Hannah Craig incurred 50-second penalties for missing gate nine on both her runs, while 19-year-old Aisling Conlon incurred penalties on both her runs.
Ireland claim full points at Stormont
CRICKET:Ireland took just 38 minutes to knock off the 38 runs they required at Stormont yesterday to complete a five-wicket victory over Namibia and collect the full 20 points on offer in their opening Intercontinental Cup game, writes EMMET RIORDAN.
Christi Viljoen completed a fine match by claiming the wicket of skipper Kevin O’Brien for 11 in the third over of the morning, but Andrew White and John Mooney knocked off the 25 runs required to complete a comprehensive victory.
Ireland will again be looking for some luck with the weather next week when they host Canada at Rathmines, with the game starting on Tuesday.
There is one change in the squad, with Instonians’ James Shannon coming in for Stuart Thompson, who is taking university exams.
