Sports Digest

A roundup of today's other sports news in brief

Murphy beats Hendry to advance

SNOOKER: Shaun Murphy saw off six-time champion Stephen Hendry in a high-class second-round clash in the Masters at Wembley yesterday. Murphy surrendered a presentable chance of wrapping up a 6-3 victory in the ninth frame and could have found himself facing a decider had he not potted a fortunate blue to seal a 6-4 triumph.

Murphy started strongly with an opening half-century break on his way to taking the first frame. Hendry hit back with a top-quality break of 114 – the first century of this year’s event – followed by a 79 to go 2-1 up. Murphy went 4-2 ahead before a second three-figure break from Hendry, this time 104, put him back in the hunt. But the match was eventually ended when Murphy attempted a safety and nudged in the blue, prompting Hendry to concede.

Kohli guides India home

CRICKET: An unbeaten century from captain Andrew Balbirnie helped Ireland record a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Christchurch yesterday as they continued their unbeaten run in warm-up games ahead of the Under-19 World Cup, writes Emmet Riordan.

Pembroke all-rounder Balbirnie finished on 108 not out, sharing in a third-wicket stand of 148 with James Shannon as Ireland chased down their target of 222 with five overs to spare.

Balbirnie survived a number of dropped chances during his knock and hit nine fours during his 139-ball stay at the crease.

Bready’s Craig Young removed both Afghan openers after Ireland won the toss and fielded to finish with figures of two for 26 from his 10 overs. Ireland’s strong spin attack helped curtail Afghanistan.

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McGwire comes clean on steroids

BASEBALL: Mark McGwire acknowledged yesterday that he used steroids during his Major League playing career, including in 1998 when he broke Major League Baseball’s single-season home run record.

McGwire made the revelation in a statement issued to news outlets yesterday afternoon.

“I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize,” McGwire said in the release. “I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989-1990 off-season and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the ’90s, including during the 1998 season.

“I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.”

The Cardinals announced in October that McGwire would be the team’s hitting coach for the 2010 season.

Wozniacki and Jankovic beaten

TENNIS: US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki and former world number one Jelena Jankovic joined a growing list of early casualties at the Sydney International yesterday.

Frenchman Gael Monfils and Russia’s Vera Zvonereva also bowed out of the joint ATP-WTA event, succumbing to injury just a week before the Australian Open starts in Melbourne.

A jet-lagged Wozniacki was knocked out by China’s Li Na 2-6 6-3 6-2. “I don’t know. I just didn’t play my best game today,” the Dane said. “I arrived yesterday from Hong Kong and maybe it’s not the best preparation I could have.”

Jankovic, who has slipped to eighth in the world rankings, lost her opening round match 5-7 6-1 7-5 to Hungary’s Agnes Szavay.

Duffy out for two more weeks

RUGBY: Fullback Gavin Duffy has been ruled out of Connacht’s Amlin Challenge Cup tie against Montpellier this weekend.

Duffy has not recovered from a cracked cheekbone injury picked up against Munster on St Stephen’s Day and will be out for at least two more weeks.

But there is better news for Connacht concerning loosehead prop Brett Wilkinson, who has recovered from a hand injury picked up in the same game.

 Balbirnie leads Ireland to comfortable victory   

CRICKET: Number three Viral Kohli stroked his second one-day century yesterday to take India to a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their tri-series one-day match.

India, already assured of a place in tomorrow’s final against Sri Lanka, raced to 249 for four with seven overs to spare after their bowlers had restricted Bangladesh to 247 for six from their 50 overs.

Kohli drove Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan to the mid-wicket boundary to complete the victory as well as his century which followed two fifties in his previous two matches. His unbeaten 102 off 95 balls included 11 fours.

Bangladesh had an outside chance of an upset win when Shakib took their fourth wicket with India still needing 48 runs in 14 overs. But Mohammad Ashraful dropped Kohli on 83 and Suresh Raina on 12 in successive overs and the opportunity vanished.