Sports Digest

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

Tipp accounts make for grim reading

GAA: Outgoing chairman Barry O’Brien admitted last night that Tipperary GAA’s 2011 financial accounts make for grim reading and represent a “serious problem”.

A massive deficit of €220,000 was revealed at the Premier County’s annual convention in Thurles last night, while spending on intercounty teams exceeded €1 million mark for a fourth successive year.

Officials have warned that more major cuts are needed as not even a 13 per cent cut in expenditure this year has managed to stem the Premier County’s financial bleed.

The figure of €1,171,876 spent on intercounty teams this year is down by €61,516 from the 2010 figure of €1,233,392, which was an all-time high. But the overall report is a major source of concern to Premier County top brass, who warned last year that a 7.5 per cent cut in expenditure was required.

The actual cut in expenditure for 2011 was almost double what was recommended, but income dropped by almost 15 per cent. Gate receipts from local games are down by a whopping 18 per cent this year.

Barron to line up against England 

TENNIS: Spectators at this week’s two-day friendly between Ireland and England can look forward to a ‘blast-from-the-past’ element in a doubles match.

In the concluding contest on Thursday, the clock will be turned back 10 years when former Davis Cup ace Scott Barron teams up with Barry King against British teenagers Lewis Burton and Ashley Hewitt.

The international will provide both countries with valuable preparation in advance of their opening round Davis Cup ties on February 10th-12th, Ireland facing Hungary in an away Europe-Africa Zone Group Two fixture, and Britain hosting Slovakia.

The Riverview tie consists of two singles rubbers and one doubles rubber tomorrow and two singles and two doubles rubbers on Thursday, with respective starting times of 4pm and 3pm.

Hala'ufia hearing is adjourned 

RUGBY: A disciplinary hearing into the citing complaint against the London Irish number eight Chris Hala’ufia has been adjourned until the new year.

The 33-year-old had been cited for an alleged dangerous high tackle on fullback Gaetan Germain during the Exiles’ Heineken Cup win over Racing Metro on Saturday, December 10th.

The hearing will now be reconvened in January at a date to be confirmed.

Impressive win for Quigley in LA

BOXING: Donegal middleweight Jason Quigley is in line to qualify for the World Series of Boxing (WSB) Individual Championships following his impressive TKO in Hollywood, LA.

Quigley and Dublin super- heavyweight Seán Turner both claimed victories to help the Los Angeles Matadors to a 5-0 win over the Bangkok Elephants in the WSB Team Championships.

Quigley, the 2009 European Youth champion, drew consistent woos from the crowd after subjecting the Australias Trevor Troy OMeley to a torrid first round. The Aussie hit the floor after being felled by a big right in opening frame and his corner threw in the towel 1:05 into the second.

Turner, who boxes out of the Drimnagh BC in Dublin, earned a unanimous decision over Ukrainian heavyweight Anatolii Antoniuk.

Hearings committee allows Antrim club return to the playing field

GAA: An Ulster club hit by some of the harshest penalties handed down to any unit of the association for some time has had the punitive measures diluted on appeal to the Ulster Council Hearings Committee.

St Mary’s, Rasharkin were initially suspended from all competitions above minor level next year and had four members expelled from the association and four others suspended for lengthy periods by the Antrim Competitions Control Committee following violence which marred the club’s game against Lamh Dhearg in the under-21 football championship semi-final.

Now the provincial hearings committee has decreed that the ban on the club’s participation in games next year should be rescinded, but that the team must play all games away from home. The club, though, has been banned from participating in the 2012 Under-21 football championship.

Tyrone’s double winners Dromore will not get to defend one of the titles that they won in 2011 after their final avenue of appeal failed.

Following incidents during the county league final the Tyrone CCC imposed sanctions – including not allowing Dromore or Carrickmore to take part in the play-offs for the 2012 Division One League title. The provincial hearings committee has upheld that decision.