SPORTS DIGEST

Stories in brief from the world of sport

Irish club side well beaten

RUGBY:The Irish club international side were defeated 31-18 by their Scottish counterparts at Myreside in Edinburgh last night.

The visitors fought their corner bravely throughout but lacked the muscle and killer punch necessary to defeat their heavier opponents.

Playing with both width and purpose, Scotland dominated and two tries from fullback Fraser Harkness effectively killed off the Irish challenge.

Barry O’Mahony and Kevion Moran dotted down for Ireland.

IRELAND:E Torrie (UL Bohemians); C Healy (Cork Con), D Fitzpatrick (Blackrock), P Brophy (St Mary's), D Corcoran (Young Munster); B Keeshan (Dolphin), R Cushion (Old Belvedere); M Gately (Highfield), B McNamee (Dungannon), K Moran (Buccaneers); A Maher (Lansdowne), M Warburton (Old Wesley); K Croke (UCD), B O'Mahony (Dolphin), H Hogan (St Mary's). Replacements used: R Quinn (Lansdowne), C Murphy (Lansdowne), A Dunlop (Terenure), R Leyden (Old Belvedere), S Cronin (UCC), K Lett (UCD), T Bennett (Shannon).

McEneaney gets four-week ban

GAELIC GAMES:Louth manager Eamonn McEneaney has been suspended for four weeks by the GAA's Central Hearings Committee (CHC).

McEneaney was reported for “abusive language towards the referee” immediately after the game. The ban dates from Thursday, the date of the CHC meeting and McEneaney has the option of appealing.

Armagh’s Ciarán McKeever, who was sent off in last Sunday’s National Football League match against Monaghan, has been cleared by the CHC. McKeever was reported by the referee for a “highly disruptive/second cautionable” offence in the game but was cleared based on video evidence.

Roscommon players David Keenan and Gerard Heneghan, were also cleared by video evidence after they were sent off in Sunday’s league match against Longford.

Johnston and Cusack get first full-time contracts

CRICKET:World Cup skipper Trent Johnston and Alex Cusack were the big winners yesterday as Cricket Ireland announced the two all-rounders will be the first recipients of full-time international contracts, reports Emmet Riordan.

If you include the five players contracted to English county sides, it means coach Phil Simmons will have seven full-time players in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in South Africa, where Ireland must finish in the top four to book a place in the 2011 finals.

The 15-strong squad head for South Africa today to start their build-up to the tournament and Johnston added further good news as he stated his belief that he will be still playing if Ireland qualify.

“It’s good that we’ve got to this stage, it’s a great step for Irish cricket. I knew that if I could get a contract that 2011 was very achievable for me on the playing side of things,” said Johnston.

“I have been working hard in the gym over the last few months and I know I’m physically as strong as I’ve ever been coming into a season. I had the elbow operation which was a success, so there’s nothing stopping me going forward. What will I be, 37 in 2011, Glenn McGrath was 37 when he finished,” he added with a smile.

Ireland will play two warm-up games against regional sides from South Africa and a game against United Arab Emirates before their qualifying campaign gets under way with a game against Scotland in Benoni on April 1st.

Babington third in Florida

EQUESTRIAN:International action continues with the Sunshine Tour in Spain this weekend but Irish riders are also competing in Italy, Germany and the United States, where Kevin Babington, Shane Sweetnam and Richie Moloney fly the flag, reports Margie McLoone.

Thursday saw the 10th round of the WEF challenge cup series at the DeNemethy showgrounds in Wellington, Florida where Babington placed third on Caracas behind the American double Olympic gold medallist Beezie Madden on Onlight.

Denis Lynch is riding at the four-star show in Braunschweig with four horses, including Upsilon d’Ocquier on which he finished joint fifth in the medium tour speed qualifier won by Germany’s Oliver Lemmer on Ceaser.

Jessica Kürten travelled down to the Arrezzo Toscana tour in Italy where she was joined by Cian O’Connor, Marie Burke, Declan McParland and Kelly O’Connor. Yesterday Kürten finished a close-up fourth with Castle Forbes Cadeau Z in the 1.50m two-phase class.

Contador takes back the yellow

CYCLING:Former Tour de France winner Alberto Contador moved a step closer to repeating his 2007 victory in Paris-Nice when he retook the yellow jersey on yesterday's first big mountain stage of the race, reports Shane Stokes.

The Spanish rider attacked on the final climb up to the summit finish of La Montagne de Lure, putting 58 seconds into closest challengers Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) and Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d’Epargne).

Sanchez is now second overall, one minute 13 seconds back, while the overnight leader Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) conceded almost two minutes on the tough ascent and dropped to third overall.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale), meanwhile, placed 52nd on yesterday’s stage.

Roche has said he intends to ride aggressively on the final two days of the race, which will conclude tomorrow afternoon in Nice.

Considine confirmed as interim coach

GAELIC GAMES:The Cork County Board have confirmed that the under-21 team management – led by manager John Considine – have taken up office as the interim senior hurling team management.

Considine and his selection team of Tom Cashman, Tony O’Sullivan, Paddy Daly and Denis Ring were offered the post on Thursday night and accepted last evening following a meeting with the outgoing team management and officers of the board.

GAELIC GAMES:Clare defeated Limerick by 0-13 to 0-7 in last night's Munster under-21 football championship clash under lights at Cooraclare, to set up a meeting with Tipperary in the next round. The winners, playing with a strong breeze at their back, led by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.

SCORERS: Clare–M McCarthy (0-4, one free), E Lyons (0-3, two frees), S Collins (0-2), C O'Connor (0-2), D Cusack (0-1), P McMahon (0-1); Limerick– P Mullins (0-2), J Mullane (0-1), I Ryan (0-1, free), N Riordan (0-1), D McCarthy (0-1), A O'Neill (0-1, 45).