Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

Owens in charge at Croke Park

RUGBY: Welsh referee Nigel Owens has been selected to officiate in the Test match between Ireland and World Champions South Africa, when the teams meet in Croke Park on November 28th, reports Johnny Watterson.

South African referee Johnathan Kaplan will take charge of Ireland’s opening match of the November series against Australia, while South African Marius Jonkers is the official for the middle game of that series against Fiji at the RDS.

Irish referee Alan Rolland has been given a tasty match in Marseille where New Zealand meet France in November, The former Irish player will also be in charge when Italy face South Africa in Udine, Italy.

Alan Lewis is twice in action next month, firstly with Tonga, who play Scotland ‘A’ and then again when Scotland face Argentina in Edinburgh.

George Glancy, is also involved in the November international window when Wales face Argentina in the Millennium Stadium.

Porterfield named the ICC Associate Player of the Year

CRICKET:Ireland captain William Porterfield was named the ICC Associate Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in Johannesburg last night, writes Emmet Riordan. The 25-year-old Gloucestershire player is the first Irish recipient of the award, taking the vote ahead of Canada's Rizwan Cheema and the Dutch pairing of Edgar Schiferli and Ryan ten Doeschate, who won last year.

The opening batsman averaged 46.88 in the 11 one-day internationals he played in the 12-month voting period, leading the side to nine victories. He scored two centuries as Ireland won the 2011 World Cup qualifying event in South Africa in April and was also in charge as Ireland won through to the Super Eights stage of the World Twenty20 in June. He also averaged close to 40 in the Intercontinental Cup, which Ireland won last November. Upon collecting his award in Johannesburg, Porterfield said: “It’s been a fantastic year for us. This award caps it off on a personal note.”

Ireland retain senior title

GOLF: Ireland retained their men's senior home international title when they beat Scotland 6-3 at Westport GC yesterday. Ireland laid the foundations for yesterday's success by taking 2½ points from the morning foursomes,Tom Cleary and Michael Quirke leading the charge with a 7 and 6 triumph.

They got out of the starting blocks quickly in the singles and posted two early victories. The title was secured when Seamous McParland halved the 14th to go dormie four against George Paterson. Portmarnock’s Adrian Morrow was the top player overall with 5½ points out of six.

Meanwhile, Ireland salvaged some pride in the senior womens internationals at Newport, South Wales yesterday but finished with the wooden spoon after sharing the spoils with England, 4-4. Scotland won the title defeating Wales 5½-2½. England took the runners-up spot.

Tallaght to host rugby international

RUGBY: Tallaght is set to host its first rugby match over the last weekend in November with the IRFU preparing to stage an A international there between Ireland and Argentina, reports Emmet Malone.

IRFU officials, including Declan Kidney, visited the stadium recently and are said to have been pleased with the standard of the facilities.

It is believed that the IRFU hopes at this stage to put on a small number of games at the venue each year.

With the stadium having quickly established itself as one of the leading football venues in the country, South Dublin County Council’s policy is to broaden the range of events held there and officials are also exploring the possibility of staging underage GAA matches there next year.

UCD launch Tony O'Neill scholarship

SOCCER: UCD football club has launched a scholarship trust in memory of the club's hugely distinguished Dr Tony O'Neill who passed away 10 years ago tomorrow, writes Emmet Malone.

In 1979 O’Neil, a former General Secretary of the FAI, pioneered the university’s sports scholarship programme, one that has been emulated at numerous other colleges around the country since. Countless graduates of the scheme have gone on to establish themselves as leading players in the League of Ireland and beyond having earned a third level education during their time at Belfield.

Now, in order to secure the future of soccer scholarships at UCD, the club has set up the Dr Tony O’Neill Soccer Scholarship Trust which will operate independently of the day to day running of the Club. The principal aim of the Trust, which will be co-ordinated by former club chairman Brendan Dillon, is to raise €250,000 over its first three years with a target of €100,000 for the first year.