Sports Digest

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

Cunningham wins monthy award

AWARD: Anthony Cunningham has been named Philips sports manager of the month for February 2012.

Cunningham has taken the Westmeath club Garrycastle to an All-Ireland decider against Crossmaglen Rangers, with the game due to take place at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.

He also manages the Galway senior hurling team, who got their league campaign off to the best possible start by beating champions Dublin.

McDonagh to return home from Irish training camp

BOXING: Irish head coach Billy Walsh has confirmed elite lightweight champion Michael McDonagh will return home from the Irish training camp in Hennef, Germany tomorrow. The Irish Elite squad are in Hennef preparing for the final Olympic qualifier for European male boxers in Trabzon, Turkey next month.

Ireland are also due to take part in the Chemistry Cup in Halle, Germany next week. Nineteen nations, including Russia and China, are due to take part. However, McDonagh, who boxes out of the St Mary’s BC in Dublin, will not be competing in the Chemistry Cup or the Olympic qualifiers.

“Michael felt a bit uncomfortable in his surroundings and it was felt he wasn’t ready for the step up from domestic boxing to the Olympic qualifiers and he didn’t want to deny anyone from Ireland the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics in Trabzon,” said Walsh.

Multiple Irish champion David Oliver Joyce has been drafted in for McDonagh.

Wiggins keeps tight hold on yellow

CYCLING: Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins still has the yellow jersey after four stages of the Paris-Nice race.

Wiggins finished 10th as the riders contested the 178km stage between Brive-la-Gaillarde and Rodez, enough to keep him six seconds clear at the top of the standings.

Lotto-Belisol rider Gianni Meersman won the fourth stage, heading the peloton in four hours, 21 minutes and one second as he edged in front of Grega Bole and Lieuwe Westra on the line.

Levi Leipheimer, of Omega Pharma Quick-Step, remains in second place, six seconds behind Wiggins, with BMC’s Tejay van Garderen 11 seconds back.

Ireland’s Nicholas Roche finished seventh and the AG2R rider moves to 27th place overall.

De Villota named as Test driver

MOTOR SPORT: Spaniard Maria De Villota was named as a test driver for the Marussia Formula One team yesterday, becoming the only woman in such a role at any of the current teams.

The daughter of former F1 driver Emilio De Villota, who started two races in 1977 without scoring a point, has raced in various series and had tried out a Renault F1 car at Le Castellet in the south of France last August.

Russian-licensed Marussia’s new MR01 car has run only for limited-mileage promotional purposes before next week’s Australian season-opener due to problems in passing the mandatory crash tests. The team said De Villota would have a chance to drive it later in the year. The next scheduled test will be at Mugello in Italy during the August break but the Spaniard will probably have to wait until Abu Dhabi at the tail-end of the season.

Manning released by the Colts

AMERICAN FOOTBALL: Peyton Manning was cut by the Indianapolis Colts after a 14-year stint with the franchise that included a Super Bowl win and four National Football League MVP awards for the quarterback, the team announced yesterday.

The 35-year-old missed the entire 2011 NFL season after neck surgery last September and was due a $28 million bonus if the club had decided to keep him.

“We’re here to announce the conclusion of Peyton’s playing career with the Colts,” team owner Jim Irsay said during an emotional news conference at the Colts’ practice facility in Indianapolis.

“We’re here very much as well to honour all the incredible memories and incredible things that he’s done for the franchise.”

Having been cleared by doctors to resume playing, Manning will become perhaps the most sought-after free agent in the history of the NFL.

Ulster Ravens easy winners

RUGBY: Ulster Ravens ran out comfortable 17-7 winners over Connacht A at Deramore yesterday.

The Ravens had the better of a mistake-laden first half to lead 12-0 at the break.

Queen’s outhalf James McKinney scored all the home side’s points with four penalties. He was on target in the fifth, 10th, 34th and 40th minutes.

Connacht A were awarded a penalty try five minutes after the restart which Jack Carthy converted but the Ravens sealed the game with a fine solo try from centre Luke Marshall.

ULSTER RAVENS:R Andrew, C Gaston, M Allen, L Marshall, C Quinn, J McKinney, A Semple R Lutton, J Burns, C Carey, M Shiels, D Houston, C Joyce, D Gallagher, N Faloon Replacements: Rolling A Warwick, M Cromie, S Mullholland , P Pritchard, P Farrell, J Burgess, T Acheson R Mackney.

CONNACHT A: C Boland, M Dever, B Murphy, T Leader, M McCrea, J Carthy, D Moore, D Buckley, K O'Byrne, S Maguire, B Moylett, M Kearney, D Heffeman, E Grace, E Grace Replacements: Rolling S Collins, F Bealham, P Borlase, C Kindregan, I O'Grady, M Wlash, D Leader, C Fitigibbon.

Referee: M Patton.