The sports news round-up...
No record but Gebrseelassie completes Dubai hat-trick
ATHLETICS:Haile Gebrselassie completed a hat-trick of Dubai Marathon victories yesterday but the Ethiopian's hopes of setting a new world record were dashed by a bad back. The world champion crossed the finish line in a time of 2:06:09, 14 seconds ahead of Kenya's Chala Dechase Beyene but more than two minutes slower than his record time.
Alguersuari retained Moate through to next round No record but Gebrselassie completes Dubai hat-trick Greipel increases his advantage Dundalk Colleges make progress
“I wanted to break the record, but what can I do?” the 36-year-old said. “It’s important to break my record, one day it will happen.”
The €1.4million event had attracted around 12,000 runners, according to organisers, with a €700,000 bonus pool on offer to anyone breaking Gebrselassie’s earlier world record.
In the women’s event, Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska Molisa won in a time of 2:24:18.
Greipel increases his advantage
CYCLING:Germany's Andre Greipel strengthened his hold on the Tour of Down Under when he stormed to a third stage victory in the opening event on the UCI Pro Tour calendar yesterday.
Aided by his team-mates, Greipel edged out Robbie McEwen and his fellow Australian Graeme Brown in a tight finish to the 149.5 kilometre trek from Adelaide to Goolwa.
The 2008 champion has now won three of the four stages and holds an overall lead of 20 seconds with two days remaining.
“The last 5km, we always rode from the front and no-one could pass us, it’s a sign of strength,” said Greipel.
McEwen is second overall with New Zealand’s Greg Henderson third, but the leader’s biggest danger is team-mate Chris Rogers.
Moate through to next round
GAELIC GAMES:Dundalk Colleges 1-8 Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar 1-6: An unfortunate own goal from Coláiste Mhuire's Jason O'Toole in the 18th minute of the second half proved to be the decisive score as Dundalk Colleges advanced to the quarter-final of this year's Leinster Colleges senior football A championship, after a hard-fought win over the local side at St Loman's Lakepoint Park in Mullingar yesterday afternoon.
DUNDALK COLLEGES:K Brennan; A English, R Ellis, F Sheridan; N O'Callaghan, C Sheridan, O Brayden; N O'Connor, N Hearty (0-1f); D McKiernan, M Keane (0-4), K Ryan; A Sharkey (0-2, f), P Reilly (0-1, f), C McKeever. Subs: C Ryan (for McKiernan, h/t), C McVeigh (for Sharkey, 40 mins). J O'Toole (1-0, og).
COLÁISTE MHUIRE:N Doherty; C Burke, S Gilmore, P Newman; J O'Toole, C Lyons, P Maxwell; D Gavin, A Price; W McGrath, A Clarke (0-1), D Lynch (0-1, f), G Keena (0-1, f), D McNicholas (0-1), S Daly (1-1). Subs: N Kirby (0-1) (for Price, h/t), S Fagan (for Maxwell, 54 mins), M Coyne (for Keena, 57 mins).
Shannon's appeal rejected by IRFU
RUGBY:The appeal by Shannon RFC against the severity of the €25,000 fine and suspended six-point deduction handed down after the abuse of referee George Clancy was rejected yesterday by the IRFU disciplinary appeals committee chaired by Billy Glynn, writes Gavin Cummiskey.
The money must now be made payable to the IRFU charitable thrust by March 31st while an “immediate deduction of six AIB League points” will occur “in the event of there being a finding of misconduct against Shannon RFC on or before May 31st 2010.”
The Shannon club executive will convene next Tuesday to investigate their remaining legal options. They were represented at the initial hearing and appeal by solicitor Pat Barriscale, who has been on various ERC disciplinary committees.
GAELIC GAMES:Moate CS 1-15 Scoil Dara, Kilcock 0-11 A dominant performance propelled Moate CS to a comprehensive victory over Scoil Dara, Kilcock, in the Leinster Colleges Senior Football A Championship, at Hogan Park, Moate, yesterday, securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Last year’s semi-finalists led 0-13 to 0-4 at half-time and when corner forward Darren Scanlon swooped for the game’s only goal after eight minutes of the second half, there was no way back for a battling Scoil Dara side.
MOATE CS:J Egan; C Kelly, C Connor, J Warburton; G Mulry, L Fitzpatrick, P Holloway; A Stone (0-5, 4f), D Minnock (0-1); D McCormack (0-3), B Finnerty (0-4), J Flattery; E Kincaid (0-1), D Kellegher, D Scanlon (1-1, 1f). Subs: E Fleming for Flattery, E Heavin for McCormack, J Maguire for Warburton.
SCOIL DARA:C Murphy; K Coffey, S Maguire, K Lyons; D Lynch, C Downey (0-1), P McGrath (0-2, 1 45); M Durkin (0-4f), C Gillespie (0-1); A Forde, R Tallon (0-2), J McGrath; S O'Neill, K McManus, J Kelly (0-1). Sub: J McCormack for Lynch.
Alguersuari retained
MOTOR SPORT:Jaime Alguersuari will race for Toro Rosso again this season, giving Spain three drivers on the Formula One starting grid for the first time when the season starts in Bahrain in March.
The 19-year-old, who made his debut as Formula One’s youngest driver in Hungary last July, would remain in an unchanged line-up with Switzerlands Sebastien Buemi.
