A round-up of today's other sports news in brief
Tipp minors cut loose after break
Tipperary 1-20 Limerick 0-11
Tipperary turned in a powerful second-half performance to beat Limerick in the Munster minor hurling championship at the Gaelic Grounds last night, with Ruari Gleeson scoring 1-6 of their total.
The sides were level 0-8 each at the end of a first half in which Limerick wasted two goalscoring chances. They paid the price as Tipperary scored eight unanswered points before Limerick had their first score of the second half.
TIPPERARY:Paul Ryan; A Ryan, L Butler, Pa Ryan; W Ryan, D Maher, A Hogan; A Cleere, B Stapleton (0-2); S Curran (0-3), J O'Dwyer (0-6, two frees, one pen), R Gleeson (1-6, one 65); E Murphy (0-1), T Butler (0-1), M O'Brien. Subs: D Butler (0-1) for O'Brien (half-time), J Meagher for A Ryan (half-time), D Collins for Cleere, D Flynn for B Stapleton.
LIMERICK:A Murphy; B Cleary, N Foley, N Buckley; P Ahern, D Hannon (0-2, one free, one 65), T O'Callaghan (0-1); N Kennedy (0-1), L O'Shea; J Fitzgibbon (0-1, free), K Downes (0-3), B Mullins; M Ryan, C McNamara (0-1), W Griffin (0-2, one free). Subs: S Dowling for Fitzgibbon (half-time), C Behan for O'Shea, D Lyons for Kennedy, M Ranahan for Mullins.
Referee:J Healy (Clare).
FIA ruling keeps Hamilton's hopes of title defence alive
MOTOR SPORT:Lewis Hamilton's Formula One title defence remained alive yesterday after his McLaren team were handed a suspended three-race ban for lying to race stewards.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said after a hearing in Paris that the contrite way in which McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh had apologised for the team’s behaviour was taken into account.
A three-race suspension would have dealt a hammer blow to Hamilton’s dwindling hopes of retaining the title, with the 24-year-old already 22 points behind compatriot Jenson Button after four of the 17 races.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who attended the hearing, was satisfied with the outcome. “It was good for everybody, that decision. They had their wrists slapped and that was all they needed. They’ve had enough punishment,” he said outside the FIA’s Place de la Concorde headquarters.
Mexico's A1 GP race cancelled
MOTOR SPORT:The A1 GP series cancelled its final race of the season in Mexico yesterday because of the outbreak of swine flu there, organisers said. The race had been scheduled for May 22nd-24th in Mexico City.
This weekend’s race at Brands Hatch will now be the final race of the season for the self-styled World Cup of motorsport. Switzerland, Portugal and Ireland can all take the title. Adam Carroll, representing Ireland, is in second place and could win the title at Brand’s Hatch.
MOTOR SPORT:Formula One teams will have a budget cap next year but set above the proposed €33 million, FIA president Max Mosley said yesterday. The International Automobile Federation chief has previously suggested introducing an optional cap, with teams that accept it being granted greater technical freedom than those with unlimited budgets.
“Everything is going ahead as planned. It’s a little bit more than €33 million but we have been successful,” said Mosley.
Murphy gains revenge over Hendry
SNOOKER:Shaun Murphy basked in the glory of knocking out Stephen Hendry to reach the World Championship semi-finals as he made amends for being "beaten up" the last time they played in Sheffield.
Murphy yesterday dumped the seven-time champion out of this year’s tournament, seven years after suffering one of the most humiliating defeats of his career.
“I made my debut against Stephen as a 19-year-old and he beat me 10-4, completely beat me up, embarrassed me in front of my friends,” Murphy recalled.
“And to beat him here, a guy who’s back to his best and playing really well, I put that down as one of the biggest victories of my life.” Murphy recovered from the 2002 pasting by Hendry, a 10-9 defeat to Ken Doherty the following year and a failure to even qualify in 2004 by returning to Sheffield to win the world title in 2005.
Four years later he is again in title contention after beating Hendry 13-11.
“I’m slightly different than in 2005,” said Murphy. modestly.
Murray makes an early exit
TENNIS:Andy Murray was disappointed but in no way distraught over his early elimination at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia yesterday at the hands of Argentine Juan Monaco. Murray lost his second-round match in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 5-7.
Ranked fourth in the world, Murray cruised in the first set but then did not adapt as well as his opponent when the conditions on the court changed in the second set. “To be fair Monaco started playing much better,” Murray said. “He made lots of mistakes in the first set.
“The court was very damp and heavy early in the match and in the end it was dry and quite slippery which made it a faster surface. He was able to dictate more of the points in the dried-out conditions.”
