Today's other sports stories in brief
St Patrick's just too strong
COLLEGES GAMES: St Patrick's, Navan, held far too many aces for St Declan's, Cabra to win 4-12 to 2-5 in yesterday's Leinster Colleges SFC A first round clash at Páirc Tailteann. The locals led 2-5 to 1-1 at the end of the opening quarter.
With Seán Tobin ruling the roost at midfield and Pádraig McKeever leading the attack, St Patrick's took control from the start and full forward Mark McCormack netted the first goal following a delivery by Tobin after 10 minutes.
Tobin fired home a brilliant goal on 14 minutes and, with McKeever also netting, it was 3-9 to 1-1 at the break, Niall Murray having grabbed the St Declan's goal.
Although the Cabra side resumed well with points from Adam and Jack Caffrey, sons of former Dublin manager Paul, and got a second goal from Eoin McMahon, there was no way back.
Substitute Stefan McDonnell fired in the winners' fourth goal and their opponents finished with 14 players after wing back Shane Bonvil picked up a second yellow.
ST PATRICK'S: M Sweeney; S McGivney, D Keogan, D Morley; A O'Sullivan, D Maguire, S O'Reilly; S Tobin (1-2), N Groome; S Barry (0-1), P McKeever (1-3), J O'Reilly; S Gillespie (0-1), M McCormack (1-1), M Mulhall (0-4, one free). Subs: C Carr for S O'Reilly (19 mins), E Dempsey for Morley (h-t), S McDonnell (1-0) for Gillespie (39 mins), D Louth for J O'Reilly (46 mins), J McDermott for McKeever (50 mins).
ST DECLAN'S: S Donaghy; N McGovern, E O'Sullivan, A Kelly; S Bonvil, S McGuinness, D Kelly; R Mulvany, J Caffrey (0-1); A Caffrey (0-4, two frees), D Brennan, N Kennedy; E McMahon (1-0), S Darcy, N Murray (1-0). Subs: C Browne for Kennedy (25 mins), D Shiels for Darcy (50 mins).
Referee: J Curley (Meath).
Crew changes for Green Dragon
SAILING:As final preparations are made for Saturday's restart of the Volvo Ocean Race with Leg Three from Cochin, India, to Singapore, the Green Dragon Team yesterday announced two crew changes for the 11-man panel, writes David Branigan.
Navigator Ian Moore from Carrickfergus will step down from this leg only, and is replaced by British race veteran Steve Hayles. Boat-builder Tom Braidwood is also taking a break for this leg and will be replaced by boat captain James Carroll from Louth, who is racing on board for the first time.
A further temporary replacement will be made in January when watch-leader Damian Foxall will leave for Leg Four of the race from Singapore to Qingdao, China.
Saturday's start is at 8.30am (Irish time), and the 2,000-mile stage, passing through two areas of piracy risk, is expected to last around 10 days, although light winds and commercial traffic may affect the schedule.
Carty to head women's world rugby
RUGBY: An Irish woman is to head up women's rugby internationally, writes Johnny Watterson.
The International Rugby Board have announced the appointment of their first Women's Development Manager with the appointment of Susan Carty, the former president of the IRFU women's rugby committee.
Women's Rugby is played by over 200,000 registered players worldwide across six regions.
Tournaments such as the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup in Canada, which broke all broadcast and attendance records, and the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens, to be staged by Dubai in 2009, highlights the continuing development at international level.
Allen stars for Moate CS
COLLEGES' GAMES:Bernard Allen was the star of the show as Moate CS claimed a 1-13 to 2-5 win over St Mary's Academy, Carlow, in their Leinster Colleges SF A clash at Hogan Park yesterday.
Despite playing against the wind in the first half, Moate forged 0-3 to 0-1 ahead by the ninth minute, the points coming from Allen (two) and Kieran Martin.
A goal from a penalty by St Mary's midfielder Michael Mullen and a point from James Bolton saw the Carlow side take the lead against the run of play. However, Moate responded impressively and, with Allen scoring a terrific goal in the 27th minute, they led 1-7 to 1-1 at half-time.
Although Carlow gave themselves some hope with a 46th-minute goal from Darrell Hayden, Moate survived some late pressure to claim victory.
SCORERS - Moate CS: B Allen 1-5 (0-1f); S Flynn 0-4 (2f); K Martin, O McIntyre, G Guilfoyle, R Dunne 0-1 each.
St Mary's Academy: M Mullen 1-0 pen; D Hayden 1-0; J Bolton 0-1; P Costello 0-1, P Whelan 0-1, N Dermody 0-1, D Byrne 0-1f.
Struggling Castres sack head coach Gaillard
RUGBY:Although scarcely three months into the 2008-09 campaign, such have been the difficulties at Castres this season that Leinster's Heineken Cup opponents next Friday have decided to dispense with head coach Alain Gaillard at the end of the season and have already signed up the Montauban duo of Laurent Travers and Laurent Labit on two-year deals, writes Gerry Thornley.
With the club languishing in the relegation zone of the Top14 and winless in Pool Two of the Heineken Cup, Pierre-Yves Revol has been replaced as president of the club after being elected president of the National Rugby League (LNR), and caretaker president Jean-Philippe Swiadek has signed Travers and former France international Labit after impressing at Montauban, taking them into this season's European Cup. With Mark McCall already set to leave at the end of the season, it also places a cloud over the future of Jeremy Davidson, their other assistant coach.
"I already know one of them, Laurent Labit, because I was a team-mate of his and we won the French championship (with Castres) in 1993," said Swiadek, who is the former manager of the club.
Swiadek, who has already told the players, said that the duo were the best couple of coaches in the country. "I proposed to the club a project for next season. Some people thought it was too early, but I believe quite to the contrary, that it is imperative to build our team from now till then."
