Irish girls take bronze in Valencia

Sports Digest/GIRLS' HOCKEY: It proved a memorable day in Valencia yesterday for Una McCarthy's Irish under-16 girls, who took bronze at the European Championships after beating France 2-1 in their final game, writes Mary Hannigan.

The Irish were pipped only on goal difference to silver by Spain, who lost 1-0 to the Netherlands, the gold-medal winners.

A 4-0 defeat by the Netherlands on Saturday ended Irish hopes of winning gold in the tournament, but they needed just a draw yesterday against the French to take bronze.

Captain Stephanie Quinn, with a short-corner strike, gave Ireland the lead after just nine minutes, but they conceded an equaliser before the break.

Nicola Evans and Emma Thornbury came close to restoring the lead in the second half but were denied by fine saves from the French goalkeeper, before Megan Frazer beat two defenders to set up the winning goal for Zara Delany.

Back in Dublin the under-16 boys missed out on a medal after losing 4-0 to the Netherlands on Saturday and 7-1 yesterday to England.

SHOW JUMPING: Cameron Hanley and Harry Marshall were at the top of their game when notching up a speed-class win apiece, but it was Marion Hughes who was closest to the target in Grand Prix action, finishing second in the Swedish feature at Falsterbo yesterday afternoon, writes Grania Willis.

The 38-year-old Co Kilkenny rider, who put in one of Ireland's two clears in Friday's Nations Cup at the Swedish venue, was foot-perfect again yesterday with her world equestrian games hope Heritage Transmission, but a time of 47.26 left her almost two seconds adrift of the Brazilian winner, Rodrigo Pessoa, at the finish.

Billy Twomey, who steered Killy Jones into sixth place in Saturday's Derby, was closer to the Olympic champion's winning time, but a fence down with Anastasia left the Corkman down the order in seventh.

At the Portuguese show in Vimeiro, Marshall galloped into the winner's enclosure on Friday and was back on form with the mare Ado Annie yesterday, putting in the fastest round in the timed decider. But a fence down denied the Irish duo, leaving them third behind French ace Eugenie Angot, 100th of a second slower than Marshall but clear for the win.

Hanley's win came at Redefin in Germany, where Charming Fox provided the horsepower in Saturday's Molkerei Prize speed class, while Edward Doyle, Dermott Lennon and Denis Lynch were all in the money in Vichy, France.

But there was no joy for Jessica Kürten at the Dutch fixture in Geesteren, the world number two knocking two fences on Quibel and failing to make it into the Grand Prix jump-off.

On the national circuit, Eddie Moloney claimed Saturday's Boswell Equestrian round in Crecora, Co Limerick, but it was Sarah Kate Quinlivan, runner-up in last year's league, who snatched the honours at Newcastle West yesterday.

Francis Connors, second and fourth yesterday and fifth on Saturday, has a 28-point lead in the league standings.

TENNIS: Ireland's playing strength for next weekend's Davis Cup Euro African group tie against Slovenia was greatly weakened yesterday by the enforced withdrawal of Peter Clarke, writes Pat Roche.

Clarke, who was listed at number three, damaged a wrist in practice. His place will be taken by James Cluskey, who comes in at number four, with Stephen Nugent moving up to the third spot.

The Slovenians, not accustomed to the outdoor courts at Fitzwilliam, arrived yesterday to get in extra practice.

The Irish team is Conor Niland, Kevin Sorensen, Stephen Nugent and James Cluskey.

Play starts on Friday.

ATHLETICS: Irish athletes made a strong impression in the British AAA Championships in Manchester at the weekend, Deirdre Ryan leading the way with a national high-jump record on Saturday, writes Ian O'Riordan.

Ryan cleared a world-class 1.92 metres to defeat the favourite, Julia Crane.

Eileen O'Keeffe of Kilkenny won the hammer title with a throw of 65.64 metres, taking an early lead and maintaining her position all the way through.

Ann Loughnane took the 5km walk, while Colin Griffin of Ballinamore set a championship record when winning the men's equivalent in 19 minutes 43.40 seconds. Jamie Costin of West Waterford, still trying to regain his best form after a serious car crash at the Athens Olympics, finished second in 19:54.72.

Fionnuala Britton of Wicklow took the silver in the 3,000-metre steeplechase with a time of 9:53.44, and Joanne Cuddihy of Kilkenny showed she is coming into the form of her life when finishing third in a quality 200-metre final in 23.57, a lifetime best.

Elsewhere, David Gillick had to be satisfied with second over 400 metres at the International meeting in Gent, Belgium, coming home in 46.38 seconds, some way short of the 45.80 he ran last month.