Sports digest

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

Rockwell survive Glenstal scare

SCHOOLS RUGBY:Holders Rockwell College got the defence of their Munster Schools' Senior Cup title off to a winning 5-3 start at Clanwilliam Park yesterday, but Glenstal came within a whisker of causing a major shock when a penalty by outhalf Luke Bradley dropped inches short in injury time.

Rockwell went in front mid-way through the half when winger Steve McMahon collected a crossfield kick from outhalf Aidan Moynihan to touch down. The Limerick side hit back with a 22nd-minute penalty from Bradley to reduce Rockwell’s half-time lead to 5-3.

ROCKWELL COLLEGE: D Johnston; A Lynch, R Jermyn, C Kiely, S McMahon; A Moynihan, D McGagh; J McCormack, D Mulcahy, J Maxwell; S McCarthy (capt), D Foley; J Feehan, S O’Dwyer, A Butler. Replacements: S McNulty for Mulcahy (48 mins); R Lyons for McCormack; C Ryan for Feehan (both 68 mins).

GLENSTAL ABBEY: S Gleeson (capt); E Hurley, A Boland, I Kenny, R Shanahan; L Bradley, A Devereaux; D Higgins, C McCarthy, K Grennan; K Lynch, M O’Riordan; I McCarthy, R Dooley, T Ryan. Replacements: H Connors for Hurley (40 mins).

Referee: S Kerins (MAR)

Spanish to sue France's Canal+

TENNIS: The Spanish federation (RFET) plans to sue French TV broadcaster Canal+ over a sketch which appeared to imply world number two Rafa Nadal and his fellow Spanish athletes are drug cheats.

The sketch from the show Les Guignols, or “The Puppets”, shows a life-size likeness of Nadal filling up his car’s fuel tank from his own bladder before being pulled over by traffic police for speeding. “Spanish athletes. They do not win by chance”, is flashed on the screen surrounded by the logo of the RFET and several other Spanish federations, including soccer and cycling.

In a statement yesterday, the RFET said it planned to sue Canal+ France for “publishing a video in which, as well as containing unacceptable and damaging insinuations, the federation’s emblem and anagram were used”.

Canal+ officials did not immediately respond to telephone calls seeking comment.

Dooney defends cross-country title

ATHLETICS: A wonderful run from the front by Kevin Dooney of CBC Monkstown was the standout performance at the Leinster Schools' Cross-Country held in Santry Demesne yesterday, reports Ian O'Riordan.

The defending champion made the pace from the start with only Ian Guiden of St Aidan’s CBS attempting to stay with him, although he paid the price when he was caught by Mitchell Byrne of Templeogue College and Cillian Ó Maonaigh of Coláiste Eoin, who finished second and third.

Siofra Cleirgh Buttner of Coláiste Iosagain was the clear winner of the intermediate girls’ race over Sarah Fitzpatrick of Our Lady’s Terenure, while in the girl’s senior race, Clar Nic Chartaigh of Coláiste Iosagain took her first Leinster cross-country title.

Longo's husband arrested on smuggling charge

CYCLING: The husband and coach of former Olympic and world champion Jeannie Longo is being questioned by police on "smuggling products dangerous for health" charges, the Grenoble prosecutor's office said yesterday. Patrice Ciprelli was arrested on Wednesday morning, the prosecutor's office said, adding that Longo, 53, was set to be heard as a witness.

Ciprelli and a friend are being questioned by the OCLAESP, a branch of the French gendarmerie, over allegations made by French newspaper L’Equipe that he purchased banned blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO) from China.

Last September, Ciprelli was suspended by the French cycling federation over allegations he bought EPO back in 2007 before being reinstated after a French court said there were “doubts” about the legality of his suspension.

In a separate matter, Longo was cleared by the French federation on a technicality after she failed to provide her whereabouts to anti-doping authorities on three occasions. Longo, who wants to compete at the London Olympics, won the first of her 13 world road and track titles in 1985 and picked up an Olympic road race gold medal in Atlanta in 1996.

In an interview last February, Longo’s response was ambiguous when asked whether doping might be part of her longevity in cycling. She explained that there are no level playing fields in sports “because we all do what we can to be better”.