Cricket: Brian Lara's resignation from the captaincy of the West Indies team, announced late Thursday, caught Jamaican officials and fans off guard.
In his letter to the West Indies Cricket Board, Lara cited the team's moderate performance since his appointment in 1998 and dismal results on the recent tour of New Zealand as factors influencing his decision. The team lost the two Test matches and all five one-day internationals.
Hockey: The Irish women's team produced another encouraging display against a full-strength United States in San Diego last night, drawing 0-0. Ireland dominated the first half but were indebted to two superb saves from Ballymoney's Angela Platt in the second to deny the Americans a score.
Cricket: New Ireland coach Ken Rutherford was officially introduced to the press at Clontarf CC at Castle Avenue yesterday, reports Karl Johnston. His first assignment will be next April when the national squad travels to the International Cricket Council's Emerging Teams tournament in Zimbabwe.
The former New Zealand captain is no stranger to Ireland. He played against this country at Downpatrick in 1986 and at Comber and Malahide in 1994.
Unlike former coach Mike Hendrick, Rutherford will live in Dublin and said yesterday that his principal aim was to guide Ireland successfully through the ICC Trophy in Toronto next year and to win a place in the 2003 World Cup proper.
Cycling: Eugene Moriarty was best of the Irish team on the 114-kilometre second stage of the Tour of Rhodes yesterday, finishing seventh in the same time as winner Frantisek Trkal of Czechlovakia. The rest of the squad all lost time, with Keith Gallagher, David McQuaid, David O'Loughlan and Stephen O'Sullivan finishing in a group five minutes and 48 seconds down. Irish national champion Tommy Evans conceded a further one minute and nine seconds to Trkal.
Rugby: In yesterday's report from the Leinster Schools Junior Cup game, between St Michael's and Belvedere, it was incorrectly stated that J Bolger was replaced after 54 minutes, it should have read L McGrath.
Schools' Rugby: Rockwell College reached the semi-finals of the Munster Schools' Senior Cup by beating Glenstal Abbey 22-8 at Ennis RFC yesterday.
The crucial score of the match came just before half-time when Rockwell's outstanding scrumhalf Gerry Purcell crossed. The try was converted by number eight Denis Leamy to put them 14-8 in front at the interval. Karl Sutcliffe had scored Rockwell's opening try and Mike Fitzgibbon crossed for the Glenstal try.
Glenstal had to defend their line for long spells in the second half but they could not stop the Rockwell full back Diarmuid O'Riordan from scoring a try in the 52nd minute.
ROCKWELL COLLEGE: D O'Riordan; C McNaughton, B Mackey, S Stapleton, M Doyle; A Earley, J Purcell; J Clifford, J O'Donnell, K Sutcliffe (capt), E Macken, P Ryan, B O'Connor, T Finnerty, D Leamy. Replacements: D Lyons for Earley, D Fogarty for O'Donnell, F Quinlan for Macken.
GLENSTAL ABBEY: M Timmins; C Cremins, M McElligott, A Hanrahan, M Fitzgibbon; B Clifford (capt), I Carroll; A Magnier, A Coughlan, J Murphy, A Mansergh-Wallace, W MartinSmith, B Benner, H Devin, T O'Brien. Replacements: B Simmons for Benner; R Sinnot for Mansergh-Wallace.
Referee: T Wallace (Mar).
