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Bane and Maguire set to make their debuts Sports Digest

HOCKEY: David Bane of Aer Lingus and Phelie Maguire of Dublin University are on the threshold of making their international debuts…

Wed Feb 23 2005 - 00:00

HOCKEY: David Bane of Aer Lingus and Phelie Maguire of Dublin University are on the threshold of making their international debuts, writes Dermot Ashmore. Outstanding in Leinster circles this season, they have been named by Ireland coach David Passmore in the second of two squads to meet Belgium at Grange Road, Dublin, on Wednesday, March 2nd (8.30) and at the same venue a week later.

The two matches will enable Passmore to see the players in international competition for the first time in his fresh role as coach. Included in the squads are recently capped players such as Sean Nicholson, Iain Lewers, Tim Cockram, Ronan Gormley and Charlie Henderson, who deputises in goal for his brother Nigel (recovering from injury).

A strong vein of experience also prevails and with the games being played in midweek, the Belgian-based pair, Stephen Butler and Justin Sherriff, will be available. The Irish duo figured prominently in last weekend's 4-3 win for the Antwerp Dragons against Louvain, which lifted the Dragons to fourth place in the National League. The last time the two countries played in major competition was at the European Nations Cup in Barcelona in 2003 when Belgium equalised in the last minute for a 3-3 draw ensuring they qualified for the fifth to eighth play-offs at Ireland's expense. A further game in Dublin on Monday, March 21st, has been agreed with Belgium against an Ireland Development squad.

IRELAND (squads v Belgium, at Grange Road, March 2nd and 9th) - Match 1: W Bateman (Cork Harlequins), C Henderson (Corinthians); J Black (Harlequins), M Black (Harlequins), P Brown (Instonians), S Butler (Antwerp Dragons), T Cockram (Lisnagarvey), G Elliott (Pembroke Wanderers), R Gormley (Pembroke Wanderers), D Hobbs (Cork C of I), M Irwin (Instonians), I Lewers (Annadale), S Nicholson (Harlequins), M Raphael (Lisnagarvey), G Shaw (Annadale), B Waring (Lisnagarvey), J Sherriff (Dragons); Reserve: M Gleghorne (Loughborough Univ). Match 2: W Bateman, C Henderson; D Bane (Aer Lingus), A Barbour (Cookstown), J Black, M Black, P Brown, K Burns (Cork C of I), S Butler, T Cockram, D Eakins (Harlequins), G Elliott, D Hobbs, P Maguire (Dublin Univ), S Nicholson, G Shaw, J Sherriff . Reserve: E Magee (Banbridge).

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CRICKET: The national coach, Adrian Birrell, is seeking to employ the services of South African all-rounder Justin Kemp to play for Ireland during the 2005 Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy as the team's overseas player, writes James Fitzgerald. Kemp is a hard-hitting batsman and right arm fast-medium bowler who has played four Tests for his country as well as 21 one-day internationals.

He has a top score of 80 and best bowling of 3-20. The 27-year-old, who has played for Eastern Province - the team that Birrell represented as a player and subsequently coached - has not been picked up by any of the English counties so far despite some good recent one-day performances for the Proteas.

Ireland play Yorkshire in the first round proper of the C&G Trophy on Tuesday, May 3rd, in Stormont and will be looking for a similar performance that led to the shock defeat of Surrey in the same round last year.

BASKETBALL: Ballina's latest American import Elijah Warren has been named the Superleague Northern Conference player of the month for January, writes Gavin Cummiskey. Warren arrived in Mayo during the Christmas break to make an immediate impact. Averaging 33-points per game, he has been the team's top scorer, leading the Mayo club to three wins from four. The most impressive performance was against St Vincent's when he finished with 46-points, nine rebounds and six assists. He also shot 40-points against UCD.

Chris Jeffries of Limerick Lions picked up the equivalent award in the Southern Conference. Jeffries claimed the award despite Limerick losing three out of four last month. His performance against UCC Demons, when he posted 39-points to 12 rebounds and 10 steals, was particularly good.

Unsurprisingly, Tralee Tigers 23-year-old player-coach Chris Craig won the coaches award.

TENNIS: Tim Henman saved a match point before fighting back to beat fellow Briton Greg Rusedski in the first round of the Dubai Championships last night.

Third seed Henman, who went into the match with just four wins in his previous six visits to Dubai, was on the rack in a tense second set tie-break but improved as a thrilling game went on and deserved his 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 victory. Number two seed Marat Safin was beaten 7-6, 6-4 by Germany's Nicolas Kiefer.