A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Brammeier given big vote of confidence by team
CYCLING: Irish road race champion Matt Brammeier has been given a big show of confidence by his HTC Highroad team in being selected to ride the prestigious Paris-Roubaix Classic this Sunday, writes Shane Stokes.
The 25-year-old got things off to a very solid start this year with 10th in the prologue of the Tour of Qatar.
Since then he has been riding in support of the more senior riders on the team, learning the ropes in his pro career. On Sunday he will back designated leaders Mark Cavendish, Bernie Eisel and Matt Goss, and should learn much along the way. He will have more scope to chase personal results later this year.
Seven Irish riders will be competing in the U-23 version of the Tour of Flanders Classic tomorrow. Donnelly Sean Kelly riders Sam Bennett and Philip Lavery have had plenty of good quality racing this season, lining out against professional competitors with the team. They will be joined by Sean Downey Felix English, Conor Dunne, Thomas Martin and Dominic Jelfs.
Khan fight free on Sky Sports 3
BOXING: Amir Khan’s fourth defence of his WBA light- welterweight title against Irishman Paul McCloskey in Manchester tomorrow has been thrown into chaos after Sky decided to take the show off pay-per-view because of a downgraded undercard.
The fight, which was to cost viewers €21.95, will now be shown free to subscribers on Sky Sports 3. Khan may lose up to €1.14 million in ppv revenue. He was furious at the news and cancelled a press conference at the last minute yesterday.
Meanwhile, World Youth champ Joe Ward, Darren ONeill, John Joe Nevin and Con Sheehan all advanced to todays finals at the Feliks Stamm Multi-Nations in Warsaw after semi-final wins yesterday.
Semi-finals – 56kg: JJ Nevin (Cavan) bt G Yafai (Eng) 10-9; 75kg: D O’Neill (Paulstown) bt V Mievskij (Lit) 9-4; 81kg: J Ward (Moate) bt W Letra (Pol) 9-7; 91kg: C Sheehan (Clonmel) bt P Umit (Tur) 12-7.
Clarke focused on Mullingar test
EQUESTRIAN: Two rounds of the Horse Sport Ireland/Chippison spring tour take place this weekend with young rider Gerard Clarke, the current leader of the series, concentrating his efforts on tomorrow's leg at Mullingar for which 56 horses have been declared writes Margie McLoone.
On Sunday, the tour moves to the Clare Equestrian Centre outside Ennis where 59 horses have been entered. There, the favoured draw of being last to jump is occupied by Captain Michael Kelly of the Army Equestrian School who is 17 points adrift of Clarke on the league table.
On the international scene, Cork born Billy Twomey remains in seventh position in the latest Rolex world jumping rankings issued yesterday with Tipperary native Denis Lynch maintaining his place in eighth. Meath-based Cian O’Connor has moved up to 30th from 48th as France’s European champion Kevin Staut continues to lead the points table.
Barry through to last four in Thailand
TENNIS: Sam Barry has struck another blow for Irish tennis by powering his way to the singles semi-finals on the Thailand ITF Men’s Futures circuit.
Barry yesterday clinched his places in the last four of the outdoor hardcourt tournament in the northern city of Khon Kaen by edging France’s Simon Cauvard on 6-3 7-5 scoreline.
For the fourth time in his five matches – including two in the qualifying round - this week, the Limerick 19-year-old overcame an opponent with a considerably higher world ranking, the players holding respective positions of 1,240 and 634.
Barry he had never previously progressed past the quarter-final stage in a world ranking competition – in Italy last October and this week marking his earlier feats. He now faces No 4 seed, Great Britain’s 375-ranked Daniel Evans, today.
