Ireland's hockey hopes ended by battling

HOCKEY: Ireland were eliminated by Egypt from the nine-nation Prime Minister's Gold Cup Hockey tournament in Dhaka yesterday.

Egypt, who clinched the runners-up spot in Group B through goal difference over China, took a first-half 1-0 lead through Belal Ibraham from a corner shot in the 21st minute.

Irish striker Justin Sharriff levelled the score within five minutes of the second half with a powerful hit. However a 56thminute winning goal from Belal took Egypt into the semi-finals.

In the two semi-finals scheduled tomorrow, Egypt will play against Group A champions India while Group B table-toppers Pakistan will meet Group B runners-up Japan.

HOCKEY: The Irish Hockey Association has given its branches the go-ahead for a resumption of their programme of club and school matches starting next Wednesday (March 21st) in Ulster and Friday (March 23rd) in Leinster, Munster, Connacht and South East, writes Mary Hannigan. There will, however, be no matches involving crossborder travel until April 7th at the earliest.

The second leg of the AllIreland Club Championships quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, May 5th, and not the 2nd as published yesterday.

The men's Leinster Senior League will resume next Saturday with the first division programme the same as was originally scheduled as the closing series. But 18 matches will remain to be played which fixtures secretary, Tom Goode, has arranged for March 31st, April 8th (Sunday) and April 21st, as well as six mid-week games. The Leinster Senior Cup final between Corinthians and Pembroke Wanderers will be staged on Sunday, April 1st.

ROWING: Today's eights head of the river on the Thames in London has effectively been ruled off-limits to Irish-based competitors because of the foot-and-mouth crisis - but there will still be an Irish involvement, reports Liam Gorman.

London-based student Derek Holland will be in the bow of the top-ranked Imperial College/Queen's Tower boat, which will need to be at its best to see off the Leander eight, which will feature Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell of the British four which won gold at the Olympic Games.

Back in Ireland, the e.g.m. of the IARU has been rescheduled for two weeks time, Saturday the 31st, the same weekend as the Gannon Cup, the Irish Boat Race.