Sports digest

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

Is Cook on his way out of Sligo?

SOCCER:Sligo Rovers chairman Michael Toolan says he is hoping that Paul Cook will stay at the Showgrounds for the coming season but there was a growing sense last night that the Englishman will accept an offer to take over at League Two outfit Accrington Stanley during the next few days. The English club insisted yesterday an appointment is not imminent but it is believed that Cook is on the verge of reaching agreement on the terms of a deal.

Anti-doping rules to be introduced

EQUESTRIAN:New anti-doping rules will come into effect in all equestrian disciplines in Ireland from April 1st, having been passed unanimously at a board meeting of Horse Sport Ireland yesterday, writes Margie McLoone.

The introduction of a national anti-doping programme was one of the recommendations in the late Gordon Holmes’s report for Horse Sport Ireland after the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The new document essentially incorporates two sets of rules, one for so called “controlled medications” and the other for “banned substances”.

HSI chairman Joe Walsh said that the passing of the rules was a seminal moment. “These rules will help to ensure a level playing field in national equestrian competitions, will protect the welfare of horses, and I believe they will help to enhance the standing of the Irish equestrian sector,” he said. We need to show the public and people coming to Ireland to buy horses that we have a no-nonsense approach to the use of prohibited substances.”

India beat Australia in Twenty20

CRICKET: India ran out four Australian batsmen in a brilliant fielding effort before surviving a late attack of nerves to win the second Twenty20 match by eight wickets with two balls to spare yesterday.

Humiliated by a 4-0 whitewash in the test series, India finally had a reason to smile after winning their first match on foreign soil since last June to level the two-match Twenty20 series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Opener Gautam Gambhir scored an unbeaten 56 and blasted a boundary through the covers to drive the tourists past Australias total of 131.

With captain George Bailey calling his team in close, Dhoni and Gambhir smashed a number of shots straight to the fielders to give the crowd of 62,000 a whiff of an unlikely Australian victory. But Gambhir threw caution to the wind, backing away to bash the winning runs off paceman Clint McKay. That completed an emphatic victory by the tourists.

O'Sullivan finds form in Germany

SNOOKER:Ronnie O'Sullivan was in devastating form as he crushed Joe Perry to stride into the German Masters quarter-finals yesterday. Having scrambled back from 4-0 behind to win his opening match against Andrew Higginson on Thursday, O'Sullivan took a more familiar path to victory against Perry, firing two centuries in a 5-1 success. The 36-year-old now looks primed to keep his place in the world's top 16, when at the height of his problems against Higginson he was set to drop out and put his automatic place in the World Championship at risk.

With only the Welsh Open to come before the cut-off point in the rankings to decide the Crucible field, O’Sullivan has tightened his grip, making the trip to Berlin a possible turning point after a period of decline. He came to Germany as the world number 16 but is now well placed to climb.

Good day for UL as men and women claim titles

BASKETBALL: UL secured a memorable Men's SuperLeague National Cup title in the National Basketball Arena, winning 72-65 after a gargantuan battle with UCC Demons, writes Shane Whelan.

A superb effort from Daniel O’Sullivan early in the fourth gave Demons a five-point lead (58-53). Eagles responded well with consecutive scores from Matt Hall and Scott Kinevane. Taylor gave UL the lead soon afterwards before Neil Campbell gave Eagles a three-point lead. A stirring final quarter from Eagles secured a memorable 72-65 winners after an epic contest.

BASKETBALL: UL were crowned Women’s SuperLeague National Cup champions after dethroning reigning champions DCU Mercy 64-27 at the National Basketball Arena.

December 2010 was the last time UL tasted defeat, and they were in no mood to relinquish that record here, dismantling their opponents in clinical fashion. This decisive 28th victory of an incredible unbeaten run saw them deservedly crowned champions by a convincing 64-27.