Sports Digest

A round-up of other sports news in brief

Honda deal edges closer

FORMULA ONE:Jenson Button is expected to give the new Honda a test drive at Silverstone next Thursday as a management buyout of the Honda formula one squad, headed by the team principal, Ross Brawn, edged closer yesterday.

It is hoped that the buyout will be finalised by the time the new car, which has been modified to take a Mercedes engine, is given a preliminary test at Silverstone.

If matters are completed in time, it's possible the team will take part in the final pre-season test in 10 days' time at Circuit de Catalunya.

Five yellow in 'A' encounter

RUGBY: Ulster A defeated Connacht A, 28-12, in Mullingar yesterday, running in four tries in a competitive encounter which produced five yellow cards.

Ulster led 14-7 at the interval after tries from Thomas Anderson and Filo Paulo in response to one from Johnny O’Connor, who was playing his first match in a Connacht jersey since December.

Referee David Keane dished out yellow cards to Ulster trio Willie Faloon, Declan Fitzpatrick and Anderson as well as Connacht pair Ronan Loughney and John Lyne.

Darren Cave increased Ulster’s lead in the third quarter before Connacht hit back with a try from John Hearty. But Ulster finished strongly with Faool getting their fourth try and Bryn Cunningham again added the points.

Djokovic to face Ferrer in decider

TENNIS: World number three Novak Djokovic reached his first final of the season when he beat third-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 3-6 7-5 7-5 at the Dubai Championships yesterday.

The Serb – who took two hours 44 minutes to claim victory – will face fourth seed David Ferrer after the Spaniard overwhelmed Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-2. “I fought my way through in the match, really believed till the end and mentally this is a very important win for me,” top seed Djokovic said.

UCD colaim back Collingwood Cup

SOCCER: A Robbie Creevy goal on 12 minutes gave UCD a second Collingwood Cup in three years in a closely-fought final with NUI Galway at the Mardyke yesterday.

The former Shamrock Rovers midfielder picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and cleverly chipped over Galway goalkeeper Jonathan Burke.

The Belfield side failed to add to the score, despite David McMillan and John Dineen both going close.

Tralee youngster John Dineen – a tower of midfield strength for UCD – picked up the Dr Tony O’Neill trophy as player of the tournament.

UCD: C Byrne; B O'Reilly (J Doyle, 30 mins), D Lehane, R Keaveney, M Leahy, E Roche, (S Geoghegan, 79), D Wilson (M Whelan, 73), J Dineen, D McMillan, R Creevy, P McMahon.

NUIG: J Burke: R Larkin, J Minogue, S Conneely, M Conneely, C Collins-Smyth (M Galvin, 58 mins), M Crean, S Brown, D Flaherty (E Duffy, 58), M Gilmore, E Dunne (G Cheevers, 53). Referee: G Stevens (Cork).

St Maccartan's knocked out

GAA: St Mary's progressed in the MacRory (Ulster Schools) Cup yesterday with a 1-6 to 0-7 victory over St Maccartan's, Monaghan at Healy Park.

Michael Armstrong grabbed a 15th minute goal, and Monaghan didn’t open their account until the 29th minute. The Belfast side led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the break, and soaked up immense pressure in the second period.

SCORERS

St Mary's: D McVeigh 0-4 (three frees); M Armstrong 1-1; D Lynch 0-1. St Macartan's: A McAnespie, N Hahessy 0-2 each; A McCarey (free), P Toal, K Greenan 0-1 each.

Australia still winning medals

OLYMPICS: Australia claim to have picked up another four Olympic swimming medals after researchers discovered they were wrongly awarded to the United States more than a century ago.

The Australian Olympic Committee said yesterday the four medals won by Francis Gailey at the 1904 Games in St Louis were incorrectly credited to the US.

Gailey won silver medals in the 220 yards, 440 yards and 880 yards and a bronze in the one-mile freestyle at the “Meet me in St Louis” Olympics.

The discovery of Gailey’s true nationality will increase Australia’s combined total at the Summer Games to 135 gold, 144 silver and 170 bronze.