Sport

Triple Crown washed away

The first Triple Crown of the new millennium ended up (literally) as the dampest of damp squibs at Northop Hall CC in North Wales…

By KARL JOHNSTON
Fri Jul 07 2000 - 01:00

The first Triple Crown of the new millennium ended up (literally) as the dampest of damp squibs at Northop Hall CC in North Wales yesterday, as Ireland defeated England by 4-1 to finish a disappointing third in an utteringly meaningless tournament.

The respective captains - Ireland's Kyle McCallan and Steve Foster from England consulted the authorities and agreed that there was no prospect of playing a real match on a sodden pitch. Foster won the toss, but Stuart Stoneman failed to hit the stumps with his regulation two deliveries.

Andrew White (winning his third Ireland cap while still having to play in a real match), put Ireland ahead with one strike, and Gordon Cooke was twice successful, after Richard Hignett had recorded England's only hit. And Angus Dunlop then wrapped it up for Ireland.

Thus ended a disappointing competition, ruined by appalling weather in a spectacularly beautiful part of the neighbouring island.

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The squad for the European Cup championship, to be played in and around Glasgow from July 21st to 28th next, shows two changes, as Paul Mooney returns at the expense of Richard McDaid (and his replacement Garry Neely), Dominic Joyce gets a deserved call-up. The only uncapped players are Dominic and his brother Augustine.

Meanwhile, the uncapped players in the Ireland Women's squad for the three one-day matches against Pakistan on July 23rd, 25th and 27th are Karen Young and Aoife Budd.

Ireland Squad: K McCallan (Cliftonville) capt., B Archer (The Hills), O Butler (Old Belvedere), G Cooke (Brigade), M Dwyer (The Hills), A Dunlop (YMCA), P Gillespie (Strabane), R Haire (North Down), A Joyce (Merrion), Domi- nic Joyce (Merrion), A McCoubrey (Ballymena), P Mooney (The Hills), A Ruther- ford (Bready) vice-capt., A White (North Down).

Ireland Women's Squad: M Greally (YMCA) capt., C Beggs (Malahide), C O'Neill (Railway Union), S Young (YMCA), A Linehan (Clontarf), K Young (YMCA), H Whelan (Railay Union), M Burke (Clontarf), I Joyce (Merrion), A Budd (Merrion), C O'Leary (YMCA), B Mc- Donald (Malahide), C Shillington (Malahide).