SPORTS DIGEST:GAA: AN Aodhán Clabby-inspired St Benildus cruised to a 2-21 to 1-6 victory over St Fintan's of Sutton in the Dublin Schools' Senior A Hurling final at O'Toole Park yesterday,
A well-worked goal by half-forward Conor Devins earned St Benildus a massive 1-17 to 0-1 lead at the break.
Fintans did improve a bit on the resumption, with Eoghan Smyth producing some fine scores, but they were always fighting a losing battle.
SCORERS: St Benildus: A Clabby 0-10 (two frees, two sidelines, one 65); C Devins 1-1; S Corcoran 1-0; B Horan, K Russell, N Carr 0-2 each; G Whelan, R McGowan, C Butler, N Salvino 0-1 each. St Fintan's: E Smyth 0-5 (three frees); D Golden 1-0; A Craig 0-1.
Nevin makes Paris United debut
BOXING: IRISH senior champion John Joe Nevin will line out for Paris in their opening clash away to Milan in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) tonight. The Cavan bantamweight will meet either 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Vicenzo Picardi or Vittorio Parrinello.
Paris, nicknamed Paris United, and Milan (Milano Thunder) are in a four-team European group which also includes Moscow (Kremlin Bears) and Istanbul (Istanbulls).
Eight other sides will battle it out in the Asian and Americas groups.
The group winners and best runner-up will qualify for the play-off semi-finals next March.
Niland escapes to fine victory
TENNIS: CONOR Niland saved two match points before sealing a quarter-final place in the ATP Challenger Tour event in Salzburg, Austria.
The Ireland number one appeared to be heading for the exit door when Germany’s Matthias Bachinger had two break points with Niland trailing 4-5 and 15-40 in the third set.
But 147-ranked Niland saved both points, thanks to a wide forehand from 190-ranked Bachinger, winner of last week’s Challenger in Loughborough and a service winner, before going on to close out the contest on a 7-5 4-6 7-5 scoreline.
Cooney the top performer
SWIMMING: DAY one of the Irish National Short Course Championships got off to a quiet start at the Leisureland complex in Salthill with Olympian Aisling Cooney the top performer in the opening session of finals.
Ahead of her trip to Eindhoven in the Netherlands next week for the European Short Course Championships, she won the women’s 50m backstroke ahead of Aer Lingus team-mates Amy McVeigh and Niamh McDonnell.
William Ensor (Westwood) won the men’s equivalent in 27.40 seconds in the absence of Irish record holder Karl Burdis of Portmarnock.
Burdis won’t be in action in Galway until Saturday and Sunday due to pressure of exams.
Dan Sweeney of Sunday’s Well took gold in the men’s breaststroke, while other winners on day one included Niamh Bryson in the women’s 50m breaststroke and Conor Turner in the men’s 1,500m freestyle.
