Sports Digest

A roundup of today's other sports stories in brief:

Maori signs for Munster

RUGBY: With John O'Sullivan out through injury, Munster have signed former New Zealand Maori, backrow Jake Paringatai on a short-term contract.

O'Sullivan has had surgery to repair damage to his cruciate ligament, an injury sustained in the first game of this season against the US Eagles in Chicago at the end of August and is not expected to be back in action until March.

Paringatai (27), who was on the New Zealand Maori team from 2004 until the Churchill Cup campaign in the US last year, is in on a short-term (six months) contract, subject to medical and fitness clearance and being granted a work permit.

Paringatai is expected to arrive in Ireland on Monday and will be based in Limerick.

New awards announced

ATHLETICS: Athletics Ireland has announced details of a new National Awards scheme, which will honour the best Irish athletes, clubs and coaches of 2007. Sponsored by Waterford Crystal, the winners will be announced at an awards banquet in Dublin on November 17th.

The categories up for decision are Track Athlete of the Year, Field Athlete, Cross Country/ Road Athlete, Race Walker, Club of the Year, Outstanding Official, Coach of the Year, Junior Athlete, Master Athlete, Outstanding Performance of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and the Hall of Fame Award.

Athletics clubs, athletes and officials from across the country will be able to nominate their Coach of the Year and Club of the Year.

Duddy on brink of title fight

BOXING: Unbeaten Irish middleweight John Duddy may be just two bouts away from a world title fight with the new kid on the block of the division, Kelly Pavlik, writes Johnny Watterson. The Derryman tackles Prince Arron, who has come in as a late replacement for the injured Gonzalez Alcoba at the National Stadium tomorrow before another planned outing at the King's Hall, Belfast on December 8th.

Two wins before the end of the year would then set Duddy up for a crack at Pavlik's WBC and WBO world titles next March.

That bout looks destined for Las Vegas as New York's Madison Square Garden, which Duddy has filled on a number of occasions, is unavailable.