Sports digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

In-running punters cheer home never-say-die McCoy

RACING:Tony McCoy booted home Folie A Deux in the 100 per cent British Barley Handicap Chase at Warwick yesterday to the delight of some in-running punters.

The 15-times champion jockey looked to be rowing away on a lost cause as he niggled away on his mount throughout and the pair became detached from the field four out.

£284 was matched at the maximum price of 999 to 1 on Betfair as McCoy and Folie A Deux still had several lengths to make up on the field rounding the final turn.

The nine-year-old began to make up ground in the straight, but was still last jumping the final fence despite being on the tails of the main group.

However, under a typical McCoy drive, Folie A Deux went from last to first up the rail in the closing stages to nail Earl Grez right on the line.

Golfers honoured by media

GOLF: Three of Ireland's top golfers – US Open champion Graeme McDowell and leading amateurs Alan Dunbar and Danielle McVeigh – were among the recipients of the 2010 AIB Irish Golf Writers' Association annual awards in Dublin last night. The trio of champion golfers were honoured at the awards dinner, along with golf historian Bill Gibson, from The Curragh Golf Club, who received the Distinguished Services to Golf award, writes Philip Reid.

McDowell, who enjoyed a spectacular season on tour last year which saw him anchor Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and claim a breakthrough win in the Majors when winning the US Open at Pebble Beach.

The world number four was an unanimous selection for the professional accolade after wins in the Wales Open, the US Open, the Andalucia Valderrama Masters and the Chevron World Challenge. His singles win over Hunter Mahan in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor enabled Colin Montgomerie’s team to regain the trophy from the United States.

McDowell, who has made an impressive start to the new season with third-placed finishes in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii and last week’s Abu Dhabi Championship, is currently in the United States. The award was accepted on his behalf by his agent Conor Ridge, of Horizon Sports Managament.

Alan Dunbar – who, like McDowell, is a member of Rathmore Golf Club – received the Men’s Amateur of the Year award following his wins in the AIB Irish Amateur Open and the Magners North of Ireland Championships, while Danielle McVeigh, of Royal County Down, accepted the women’s award.

McVeigh, who won the Scottish Open strokeplay championship, was the highest points winner for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup match against the United States in Massachusetts last June where she included a singles win over US amateur champion Jennifer Song.

Schumacher is 'on a mission'

FORMULA ONE: Michael Schumacher has revealed he is "on a mission" to win his eighth Formula One world title, believing 2011 will be his year. Schumacher's comeback last season did not go according to plan as he appeared a shadow of the driver that won seven championships, in particular his five with Ferrari from 2000-2004.

Joining forces with Mercedes, the car was far from his liking and he not only failed to finish on the podium in the 19 races, the 42-year-old trailed team-mate Nico Rosberg by 70 points. But with Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn starting development on this year’s car, the W02, very early last season, there is hope for Schumacher that he will again be a frontrunner this year.

Asked if he expected to be world champion at the end of the longest campaign in F1 history with 20 races, Schumacher told F1 Racing: “Absolutely. I’m here on a mission and I want to succeed.”

Niland clinches marathon

TENNIS:Conor Niland yesterday clinched a quarter-final place in the ATP Challenger Tour event in Heilbronn, Germany, after coming up trumps in a marathon contest lasting two hours and 17 minutes.

After being pegged back to one set all by Martin Klizan, 130-ranked Niland held his serve better in the roller-coaster third set which went to a tie-break, eventually prevailing against the Slovakian left-hander on a 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7/3) margin.

Eden Gardens loses key World Cup tie

CRICKET:The famous Eden Gardens stadium in Calcutta faces a race against time to host Ireland's final two Group B games at the forthcoming World Cup, writes Emmet Riordan.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced yesterday that the venue has been dropped for the India v England clash on February 27th due to delays in renovation work, with a new venue yet to be announced.

Ireland are due to play South Africa at Eden Gardens on March 15th before taking on the Netherlands on March 18th.

Both games are still scheduled to go ahead, as is the clash between Zimbabwe and Kenya on March 20th.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: “Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level of confidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time.”