Today's other stories in brief
Barry stays in strong position
CYCLING:Tim Barry (The Edge Sports Team) has a three and a half minute lead heading into today's final stage of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, , writes Shane Stokes.
In Ulster, Scottish rider Hamish Haynes holds a six second lead over Tom Last (Sigma Sport) heading into today’s final stage of the PO Irish Sea Tour of the North.
Irish trio do well at Cowes
SAILING:The three Irish boats competing at the annual Red Funnel Easter Regatta at Cowes produced a strong showing in the final overall standings yesterday, writes David Branigan.
Conor Phelan’s Jump Juice topped the 14-strong Class 1 fleet with a race win and string of top- three places.
Crosshaven stable-mate Anthony O’Leary on Antix had held a joint-lead of Class Zero with Niklas Zennstrom’s Rán, but slipped to second overall in Class Zero.
Tim Costello’s Tiamat from Dun Laoghaire won the final race in Class Zero to end a promising series in fourth overall. More than 60 boats contested the series that is a pre-season indicator, especially in the build-up to the biennial Rolex Commodore’s Cup in August.
Williams wins China Open
SNOOKER:Former world champion Mark Williams beat local hero Ding Junhui to win the China Open tournament yesterday and disappoint millions of Chinese fans.
Welshman Williams won the title for the third time with a 10-6 victory at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium.
Roddick and Clijsters take titles in Miami
TENNIS: American Andy Roddick defeated the Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych 7-5 6-4 to win the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami yesterday after an enthralling final.
The victory was the 29th in Roddick’s career and his second at Key Biscayne following his win in 2004 and it came after two fiercely contested sets.
Kim Clijsters brought a swift end to Venus Williams’ 15- match winning streak with a 6-2 6-1 win in the women’s final on Saturday.
Strong performances by Irish in Stadl Paura
EQUESTRIAN: Kildare's Anna Merveldt had two second placings at the three-star dressage show in Stadl Paura, Austria at the weekend riding her 14-year-old gelding Coryolano, writes Margie Mcloone.
There was further good news in the discipline with Naas-born Judy Reynolds qualifying for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky so that, along with Yvette Tuesdale, there will be an Irish dressage team at the September Games.
In show jumping abroad, there were placings for Denis Lynch and Jessica Kuerten in Paris, wins and placings for Shane Carey in Aarhus, with Irish riders also picking up prize-money in Italy and Portugal.
At home, 22-year-old Alexander Butler had a narrow victory in the Horse Sport Ireland/Chippison Spring Tour Grand Prix at the Barnadown Equestrian Centre in Gorey riding Raymond Donohoe’s Carton Free (by Cruising).
Camilla Speirs recorded Ireland’s best performance in the Q section of the three-star Burham Market event. The Kildare rider and her 10-year-old Crosskeys Rebel finished fourth.
Maguire reaches Paris final again
GOLF: Leona Maguire is one step from securing back-to-back successes in the French Ladies under-21 championship at St Cloud.
The 15-year-old powered her way through four rounds of the tricky Paris layout at the weekend and will today meet Norwegian Tonje Daffinrud over 36 holes in the final.
Leona overcame Scotland’s Kelsey MacDonald and Norway’s Elizabeth Haavardsholm on Saturday and then yesterday beat England’s Hayley Davis, 31, French player Lea Charpier, 43.
After two wins on Saturday, Leona’s sister, Lisa, went out 21 to in a quarter-final yesterday.
