Patches leads but battle for runner-up continues

Sports Digest

SOVEREIGN'S CUP SAILING: In the penultimate day of racing at Sovereign's Cup week at Kinsale, light airs and course marker buoys provided additional obstacles as the front-runners in three racing classes tightened their grips and fought hard ahead of today's final races, reports David Branigan from Kinsale.

Before racing started off the Bulman Rock, the fleet was obliged to await the arrival of steady wind. First the northerly forecast began to show itself, then some sea breeze activity began to counteract before clouds covered the arena and eventually six to eight knots from the north returned, albeit briefly.

But the light breeze was enough to lower the AP code flags signifying postponement, and almost two hours late the first starts were made. Just one race was sailed and it was unclear last night if three races would be completed today, as a later start timed for after the Lions match has been planned.

In Class Zero, Eamon Conneely's TP52 Patches easily won in the conditions and should secure his class win this afternoon. But as an over-sized competitor out-gunning 18 other "big-boats", the competition lies in the battle for second and third places.

"Under IRC (handicap), Class Zero is very competitive and we still have to sail really well to win. We have to look for each second, and it's really good discipline for us, we're learning loads," Patches helm Shirley Robertson told The Irish Times yesterday.

Colm Barrington's Flying Glove snapped back into form with a second place, once more holding Paul Hyde and Simon Coveney's Dark Angel at bay.

However, just one point separates the pair, even after the single discard.

A race win for Eamon Crosbie's Voodoo Chile temporarily brought him on to level points with defending ICRA National champion Anthony O'Leary on Antix, until the latter was awarded redress for snagging the wing mark on the second lap of the course and he was awarded average points for the series so far.

Several skippers expressed strong criticism of race management for failing to ensure that sinker weights on the marks did not allow the mooring lines to float free.

A fourth place for Barry Cunningham sailing Dick Dastardly for the Dun Laoghaire Motor YC retains his overall lead of Class Two, though a first place for Howth's Ian Byrne on Sunburn means just half a point separate the pair in a close battle for victory in the biggest racing division.

SOVEREIGN'S CUP WEEK (at Kinsale YC including ICRA National Championships); Overall after five races - Class 0: 1 Patches (E Conneely); 2 Flying Glove (C Barrington); 3 Dark Angel (Hyde & Coveney). Class 1: 1 Antix (A O'Leary); 2 Voodoo Chile (E Crosbie); 3 Aztec 2 (P Beamish). Class 2: 1 Dick Dastardly (B Cunningham); 2 Sunburn (I Byrne); 3 Kinetic (Colwell & Murphy). Class 3: 1 Inca (F Fisher); 2 Woody (R Marshall); 3 Running Wild (R Sullivan). White Sail 2: 1 Hansem (T Scannell); 2 Maximum (S Nairn); 3 Crystal Light (M Powell).

SQUIB NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Howth YC); Final overall: 1 Hogan & Hogan SCYC (14.00); 2 Harris & Stephenson SCYC (33.00); 3 Dyson & Salsonstall RYYC (34.00); 4 Garlick & Johnson SCYC (34.00); 5 Harris & Thompson SCYC (41.00); 6 Best & Richards SCYC (42.00). Results subject to protests

SAILING: Off Ireland's Eye, the Airtricity­sponsored British national Squib championships sailed the final race yesterday, but class champions for the last four years had already retained the title by Thursday afternoon, reports David O'Brien.

Father and son duo Chris and Mark Hogan from South Caernarfonshire YC (SCYC) in North Wales, sailing a 1969 built boat Ric O'Shea, did not need to go afloat yesterday morning.

Second, third and fourth places all hailed from SCYC as well.

Best of the Irish in the 82-boat fleet was Peter Wallace and Mark Wright from Royal North of Ireland YC in ninth place overall.

UNDER-21 RUGBY: UCD's Ross McCarron will start on the wing after playing fullback for Ireland's final match of the IRB Under-21 World Championship in Argentina today against the combative Samoans.

Coach Mark McDermott has handed the number 15 jersey to Belfast Harlequins' Mark Kettyle for a second successive match.

IRELAND U-21: M Kettyle (Belfast Harlequins); R McCarron (UCD), A Trimble (Ballymena), G Stafford (Lansdowne), P McKenzie (Belfast Harlequins); G Steenson (Dungannon, capt), C Willis (UCD); G Maxwell (Dungannon), S Philpott (Saracens), J Andress (Belfast Harlequins), R Noonan (UCC), R Caldwell (Dungannon), K McLaughlin (UCD), C Henry (Malone), S Ferris (Dungannon). Replacements: J Merrigan (Corinthians), R Loughney (Galwegians), A Dunlop (Terenure), A Kavanagh (Garryowen), G Hurley (UCC), J Sexton (St Mary's College), P Hurley (UCC).

ROWING: Three Irish crews made it through the qualifying round at Henley Royal Regatta yesterday, writes Liam Gorman. UCD's Temple Men's Eight qualified, but the colleges senior Women's Eight, which won the senior title at Henley, failed to qualify.

Ireland's other qualified crews were University of Limerick, rowing as Athlumkard in the Britannia Fours, and Trinity in the Men's Student Fours.

SOCCER: Tottenham and Chelsea finally settled on compensation for Frank Arnesen last night, averting the prospect of a Premier League investigation. Spurs accepted about £6 million to end a dispute lasting almost three weeks.

The deal is thought to prevent Chelsea from poaching staff or players from Spurs for two years and to prevent Arnesen from taking up his post as head of scouting and youth development at Stamford Bridge until after this transfer window. No players will be moving as part of the settlement.