Ireland to join Fed Cup elite

DIGEST:TENNIS: The Irish Federation Cup team finished off a successful week in Pretoria, South Africa, with a 3-0 win over Algeria to secure their place in the Federation Cup proper later in the year where they could be drawn against top nations such as Britain and Denmark.

The week marks a successful beginning to Owen Casey's captaincy. The team did not drop one set in five matches over five days with Yvonne Doyle again winning 6-3 6-1 against Sna Ben Salah and Kelly Liggan defeated Feriel Effeghir 7-6 6-1.

Ireland did not have to play the doubles match because with two singles wins they had qualified.

The next stage after Group One status is the World Group division where the USA, Belgium and Spain are placed.

FEDERATION CUP QUALIFYING EVENT: Y Doyle bt S Ben Salah 6-3, 6-1; K Liggan bt F Effeghir 7-6, 6-1. Ireland qualify for Group 1 status.

ATHLETICS: The 2005 world championships will be held in Helsinki. The Finnish capital replaces London, which withdrew after the British government failed to keep its promise to build a new stadium.

Berlin and Budapest had been favoured but were beaten following a Helsinki presentation led by the distance-running legend Lasse Viren and supported by Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie.

CYCLING: David O'Loughlin dominated last week's Ben McKenna trophy but cracked close to the end; yesterday, however, a more conservative approach saw him emerge as the winner of the Beggan Trophy in Bohermeen.

Leaving his efforts until late,O'Loughlin slipped into a small group which got across to the leading break in the closing stages, and then went on to forge clear with Colm Bracken and Conor Murphy on the final lap. The Mayo rider attacked repeatedly and with a mile to go surged ahead to take a well-deserved win.

In Cork, Kieron McMahon of the Earl of Desmond team won the Mick Cahill Memorial Cup. McMahon, part of a six-man group, reeled in Richie Cahill and Vincent Gleeson with two miles remaining, and outsprinted Aidan Crowley and David Nugent in the gallop for the line.

SNOOKER: Stephen Lee captured his second ranking title of the season with a stunning 9-2 victory over David Gray in the Scottish Open final at Aberdeen last night. The world number eight, who won the LG Cup last October, built a 6-2 first session lead and needed just an hour on the resumption to win the three more frames he required to pocket the £82,500 top prize.