A round-up of other sports news in brief...
Ireland go down to lively Poles
HOCKEY: Ireland suffered their first defeat of the Champions Challenge II tournament at Belfield last night which means with their second-placed finish in Pool A they will now face Malaysia in the semi-finals at 5pm tomorrow.
Ireland went ahead in the fifth minute when Eugene Magee weaved through the Polish defence to set up Mikey Watt to fire high and hard on his reverse.
Poland equalised three minutes later through Gorney.
Ater a period of Irish pressure, Alan Sothern made no mistake with a powerful drag flick for a 2-1 lead on 24 minutes.
Poland were quick to regain parity when a midfield mistrap was picked up by the pacy visitorsfor 2-2.
Poland were quick off the mark in the second 35 and secured their first short of the game which Dutkiewicz converted with a precise drag flick to go one ahead.
With 22 seconds left on the clock Ireland’s pressure nearly paid off but John Jermyns drag was again well saved and the Poles held out.
Henry signs on until World Cup
RUGBY: New Zealand have reappointed head coach Graham Henry and assistants Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen until the end of the 2011 World Cup.
The trio were under contract until the end of 2009 but the NZRU board yesterday extended their deal for another two seasons. The trio were appointed in 2004 and have overseen 57 victories in 66 Test matches; winning four Tri-Nations and completing a 3-0 series win against the Lions in 2005.
Connors stretches league lead
EQUESTRIAN: Francis Connors stretched further ahead in the Showjumping Ireland National Grand Prix league when landing yesterday’s round at the Bannow and Rathangan show in Killag, Wexford.
The Waterford rider filled first and third places in the €3,000 class, winning on Seán Hayden’s Lundy Lad, with a clear second round in 38.9, and finishing third in 40.47 on Hugh Fitzpatrick’s Erne Blaze.
Connors also heads the premier series, the seventh round of which takes place today at the show jumping festival in Ballina.
A large contingent of Irish riders is competing at the Barbury international horse trials this weekend and after the first session of dressage in the CIC**, Michael Ryan is in fourth place, on a score of 48.9, with Dromgurrihy Blue.
Taylor cruises into semi-finals
BOXING: Katie Taylor cruised into the semi-finals of the St Petersburg Multi Nations in Russia last night amid increased optimism that women’s boxing will be given the go-ahead for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Taylor recorded a 17-4 win over Russian lightweight Ayzanet Gazhieva at the Sports Palace in St Petersburg to set up today’s last four clash with Ukrainian Alexandra Siderenko – who she beat 12-2 at the Ahmet Cup in Turkey in May.
Yesterday’s victory was win number 37 in a row over the last three years for the 23-year-old world, European and European Union champion and 2008 AIBA female boxer of the year.
The St Petersburg Multi Nations is being using to send out a message to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include women’s boxing at the London Olympics in 2012.
The IOC will make a decision on women’s boxing at the 2012 Olympic Games at an executive board meeting in Berlin on August 13th.
O'Keeffe just glad to be back
WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: With qualification for today’s women’s hammer throw final at the World University Games in Belgrade secured with her very first throw, Eileen O’Keeffe said she was just happy to be back competing this year after serious knee surgery.
The 28-year-old Kilkenny woman got off to a flyer when she threw 68.08 metres in her first attempt, to qualify fourth overall and ease into the final, and she is starting to show glimpses of the form that won her a silver medal at the competition in 2007.
However, this time round, it won’t be any easier for the Irish woman, who is up against world champion Betty Heidler from Germany, and world number one, Slovakia’s Martina Hrasnova.
“I was actually surprised my first throw went as far in qualifying. It was nice to land a 68 which is just short of my season’s best so hopefully it would be nicer to go a bit further in the final,” she said.
Burdis sets yet another 200m backstroke mark
WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: Karl Burdis yesterday broke another Irish national swimming record at the World University Games in Belgrade.
In the heats of the men’s 200 metres backstroke, Burdis swam 2:01.70 minutes to smash the record by 3.5 seconds and add to the six times he has broken it in this summer’s Games already.
In the evenings semi-final, Burdis finished in 16th place overall in a time of 2:04.36 minutes.
Nuala Murphy had better luck in the 1,500 metres freestyle qualifying for the final in fifth place overall in a time of 16:53.98 minutes.
There were further impressive performances from Melanie Nocher as she notched up a new personal best in the 200 metres freestyle. She clocked 2:02.05 in her heat, taking her to the semi-final where she placed 14th overall.
Meanwhile, Beijing Olympian Joanne Cuddihy raced into today’s semi-finals of the 200 metres at the World University Games.
The UCD student finished 21st fastest overall, running 24.54 seconds at the Red Star Belgrade stadium in the Serbian capital.
Joanna Patterson just failed to make it an Irish double, missing out by 0.26 seconds and finishing 24th overall. Brona Furlong was up against it in the final of the women’s 400 metres hurdles but ran a strong race, finishing in seventh in 58.40 seconds. This leaves the DCU student still chasing the 57.80 seconds she needs to qualify for the European Championships.
