CYCLING: Irish road race champion David McCann went into Saturday's final stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour hoping to improve on his second place overall and win the 2.1 ranked event, but had to be content with a repeat of the third-placed finishing position he took one year ago, writes Shane Stokes.
Superior sprinting by Simon Gerrans, who started the stage level on time with McCann, one second behind overall leader Chris Jongewaard (Savings & Loan), saw him finish five seconds clear of the latter. McCann placed third on one bonus sprint and 10th on the stage, but finally finished 14 seconds back overall.
MOTOR SPORT: Eugene Donnelly continued his remarkable rally record with a dominant victory on Saturday's Donegal Harvest Rally, writes Brian Foley. Driving a Subaru Impreza S11 in place of his tried and trusted Toyota Corolla WRC, Donnelly, with co-driver James Sharkey, was in scintillating form through the event.
Paul Harris and Dom Buckley were runners-up and James Cullen with Reba Graham on the notes won Group N by almost two minutes, finishing seventh overall.
Ford's Finnish drivers Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen were first and second on the Rally Turkey.
MEN'S HOCKEY: It has not been a great beginning of the season for Railway Union. While their match against Pembroke Wanderers over the weekend was expected to be a tough encounter, the six goals that went in against the Park Avenue side suggest that they along with Bray, YMCA and Trinity are going to struggle this season at the bottom of the table, writes Johnny Watterson.
Already that table has a structured look about it, which has four top teams vying for honours, four bottom teams in a dog fight to escape relegation and a few in the middle.
This week, however, the goals were spread around the Pembroke side with a scattering of the usual suspects on the end of each, Alan Southern again on the mark. It is a result that keeps Pembroke at the top of the table with maximum points after three games played.
Railway's disappointment was matched by Trinity, who although conceding five goals managed to score four against Fingal. The 5-4 result against the students may be a taste of the things to come.
It was a very high scoring weekend over all as Monkstown defeated YMCA 4-2, with Gareth Watkins knocking in two goals and Corinthians taking a bit of a 6-1 hammering from Glenanne at Whitechurch Park with Stephen Butler collecting four goals.
SHOW JUMPING: Cian O'Connor added yet another Puissance victory to his tally over the weekend, claiming the honours at the Norwegian World Cup show in Oslo on Saturday night, writes Grania Willis. The 26-year-old brought out his Horse of the Year Show and double Dublin winner Casper to tackle the big wall and left the opposition trailing in his wake.
There was no joy for O'Connor in yesterday's opening round of the World Cup, when a first-round four faults with the mare Echo Beach left him out of the timed decider. Sligo-born Ciaran Howley took the Austrian speed classes at Salzburg with the eight-year-old Libra.
ATHLETICS: Mark Christie of Mullingar Harriers got his cross country season off to a positive start yesterday when he coasted to a comfortable victory in the annual Gerry Farnan Memorial five- mile race in the Phoenix Park, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Christie stamped his authority on a quality field and finished strongly in 24 minutes 14 seconds, well clear Gary Murray of St Malachy's and Mick Clohissey of Raheny Shamrocks. There was another brilliant front running performance too by Fionnula Britton of Sli Culainn AC who won the women's three mile event in 16.28 from Orla O'Mahony and Niamh O'Sullivan 17.20.
BASKETBALL: The Tralee Tigers could really do with a GAA off season, writes Gavin Cummiskey. The international basketball matches already clash with the All-Ireland finals, ensuring practically zero coverage in the media, but the ongoing club championships and International Rules series against Australia means dual players must make a decision.
Inevitably Gaelic football wins out. However, in the case of the two high-profile players basketball does get a look in.
Ronan McGarrity had a respectable football championship for Mayo but he has spurned an opportunity to rest by returning to club duty with Ballina. The westerners came away from Limerick with an 85-78 victory this weekend. McGarrity contributing 13 points.
The Lions travel to Ballina on Saturday in the first round of the cup. Kerry's latest superstar Kieran Donaghy also hopes to line out for the Tigers next weekend in the all Kerry derby against St Paul's, again in the cup.
Donaghy and Michael Quirke were missing as Shamrock Rovers Hoops won 91-81 at the National Arena.
Killester came away from Cork with an impressive 83-67 victory over Neptune; St Paul's lost at home to Superleague champions St Vincent's, while UCD Marian just had the edge over UCC Demons at Belfield.
