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Sports Digest

Gaelic Games : Eugene Cloonan is to return to the Galway hurling panel

Mon Jan 23 2006 - 00:00

Gaelic Games: Eugene Cloonan is to return to the Galway hurling panel. Cloonan missed out on the run to last year's All-Ireland final, initially because of a back injury.

Now fit, Cloonan received a letter from the management last Friday requesting his return for training, starting this week.

All but three of the 28-man squad who took Galway to the All-Ireland final are in this year's panel.

Also included are Cloonan's Athenry clubmate Michael John Quinn and former underage talents Conor Dervan, Michael Coughlan, and Kevin Brady.

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Kurten produces a double in Leipzig

Show Jumping: Jessica Kürten followed up her victory in Friday night's World Cup pre-qualifier at Leipzig with two further wins at the German fixture, steering Commandor to success in both Saturday's young horse qualifier and yesterday's overall championship, writes Grania Willis.

But yesterday's feature World Cup qualifier eluded Kürten, when a fence down with the mare Castle Forbes Libertina in the first round meant she missed the cut for the timed decider.

Kürten netted the world's richest prize when collecting a $250,000 cheque for victory in the Dubai Grand Prix 10 days ago, and stayed in winning mood at Leipzig with three in a row over the weekend. Friday night's triumphs gave Kürten poll position for yesterday's World Cup class and, with 13 already through to the jump-off, the Irish rider was hoping to make it 14.

But a single fence error left her in a share of 14th, for three World Cup points that now leave her on 22 points and in equal 18th in the Western European league.

Billy Twomey made it an Irish hat-trick by jumping into equal first in Saturday night's six-bar with Whinney Jackson.

Joyce in the mix

Boxing: Commonwealth Games entry TJ Hamill from the All Saints club in Ballymena was among four Ulster contenders to make their exits from Saturday's National Senior Championship semi-finals at the National Stadium, writes Pat Roche.

Hamill's cousin Dermot was the only Ulster boxer to advance.

The Joyce cousins, John Joe, David and David Oliver, will play major roles for the St Michael's club, Athy, in their bid for the best club award. They have the welter final to themselves, with Roy Sheahan to face David Joyce in Friday's final.