Sports Digest

A round-up of other sports news in brief

Athletes get Microsoft placements

ATHLETICS: The Institute of Sport yesterday announced two athlete placements with Microsoft as part of the new Career Athlete Development Programme, writes Ian O’Riordan. The programme aims to secure flexible employment for high performance athletes, giving them the opportunity to commence a career, while maintaining the unique lifestyle required for elite competition.

Distance runner Mark Christie, from Mullingar, will work with Microsoft as a license auditor in the finance department, while continuing to train for this summer’s European Championships in Barcelona. And Stephen Campbell, 23-year-old Paralympic swimmer from Cookstown, who lost his sight at 16, will be starting with Microsoft in July in a Project Management Internship Role.

Campbell is in training for the World Championships in August.

Ireland wait on Rankin fitness test results

CRICKET: PHIL SIMMONS will have to wait until this afternoon to know if he will be able to call on the services of opening bowler Boyd Rankin for next week’s World Twenty20 Qualifier in the United Arab Emirates, writes Emmet Riordan.

The 6ft 8in Warwickshire player underwent a fitness test yesterday on the stress injury to his right foot, but the final decision will not be made until the X-Ray results have been examined.

It will come as a big blow if the 25-year-old is ruled out, due to his ability to cause opposition batsmen problems with the new ball.

After a slow start to last summer’s World Twenty20 finals in England, Rankin put in some memorable spells against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

If Rankin is ruled out his place will go to either left-arm seamer Phil Eaglestone or all-rounder Nigel Jones.

Ireland take on Sri Lanka A in the final game of the Quadrangular series tomorrow.

Oranmore defeat Abbeyfeale in final 

BASKETBALL: St Joseph’s, Abbeyfeale, lost to Calasanctius Oranmore 68-57 in yesterday’s Under-19A schools cup decider at the National Arena but it wasn’t for want of trying. Abbeyfeale, beaten narrowly in last season’s Under-16 decider, made a real go it in the final quarter with Eibhlis Dillon shooting a series of three-pointers to keep the pressure on Calasanctius.

But Oranmore’s experience showed with Ciara Newell making some vital baskets to hand them their third successive cup title.

However Abbeyfeale did not leave the Arena empty handed, with Lorraine Scanlon capturing the MVP award.

Close to the end, Oranmore’s lead was down to 10 points but two one-point free throws from Catriona Foley and Newell ultimately took the sting out of the attack.

Despite a late three-pointer from Eabnailt Scanlon, Oranmore closed the game down with a three-point play from Newell.

Easy win for Sligo Grammar

RUGBY: Sligo Grammar School scored nine tries in a 55-3 trouncing of Marist College, Athlone, in the Connacht Schools’ Senior Cup at Grammar School Grounds yesterday.

Marist College, short of seven of their regular players, conceded the first try on six minutes when Scott Oates and Stephen Butler set up Thomas Ferrari .

Grammar lead by 12-3 at half-time, their second try coming from Jonathan Clarke. Marist’s only points came from a Jack Carty penalty after 13 minutes.

The home side took control in the second half, with Hughes (2), David Butler, Stephen Butler, Danny Qualter, Scott Oates and Donal Rooney scoring tries.

SCORERS: SLIGO GRAMMAR SCHOOL: P Hughes 2 tries, 5 cons; S Oates, S Butler, J Clarke, D Butler, J Qualter, D Rooney, T Ferrari, one try each).

MARIST COLLEGE, ATHLONE: J Carty, pen