Molony named senior steward of Turf Club

Sports Digest: Pierce Molony has been formally announced as the new senior steward of the Turf Club, writes Brian O'Connor.

Molony, who has been a Turf Club member since 1991, takes over from Ray Rooney, who in the last year oversaw the deal that resulted in the Aga Khan donating a large sum to enable the rebuilding of the Curragh stand.

Molony, involved in the property business and owner of Malton Stud near Naas, has been Rooney's deputy for the last two-and-a-half years.

The new deputy senior steward is Frank Clarke SC, who first became a Turf Club member in 1999.

HOCKEY: The Irish men's university team beat their British counterparts in Nottingham yesterday to retain the Carson Clarke Cup, which they won for the first time last December.

After a 1-1 draw, the Irish side took the trophy by winning on penalty strokes.

The Irish women's team lost their game 3-0.

SQUASH: John White, the man who picked mangoes and changed nationality to fund his career, jumped to the top of the provisional world rankings for the first time after reaching the last 16 of the World Open on Wednesday.

The Australian-raised Scot beat Irish qualifier John Rooney 15-13 15-6 15-12 to leap above Britain's Peter Nicol, though White is still not certain to be number one when the rankings are released on January 1st.

Nicol's shock defeat by Italy's Davide Bianchetti means he is certain to be demoted for the first time in two years but Thierry Lincou of France and David Palmer, Australia's world champion, have a chance of overtaking White this week.