SPORTS DIGEST:MOTOR SPORT: Nick Heidfeld will replace injured Polish driver Robert Kubica at next month's Bahrain Formula One season-opener, the Renault team said yesterday.
The Lotus-backed outfit said the experienced 33-year-old German would test at Spain’s Barcelona circuit this week and then race alongside Russian team-mate Vitaly Petrov at Sakhir on March 13th.
Kubica has been ruled out for at least three months and possibly the entire season after suffering serious arm, leg and hand injuries in a rally crash in Italy 11 days ago.
He was undergoing a third round of surgery yesterday to fix broken bones.
“I would have liked to come back to Formula One in different circumstances, but I’m proud to have been given this chance,” said Heidfeld, who has yet to win a race despite starting 172 grands prix.
Contador back in saddle straight away
CYCLING:Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador returned to competition just one day after his provisional one-year ban for doping was lifted, taking the start in the Tour of Algarve yesterday.
The 28-year-old had been suspended provisionally since August after testing positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol, but the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFCEC) lifted the ban.
“Above all, it is a huge satisfaction not just for me but also for the team, the sponsors, and the truth is that I am happy to be here,” Contador told reporters.
Ryan’s late point wins title for Tipp
GAA:Eoin Ryan was the star of a rain-soaked show as Tipperary retained their All-Ireland Vocational Schools senior hurling crown, beating Kilkenny by 2-14 to 1-16 in Ballyragget last night.
Ryan was on-song all night, but picked the perfect time to land the winner, shooting the decisive point with just seconds left on the clock to deny the Cats for the second year in succession.
Tipperary: J Samson; A Conran, C Bergin, C ORiordan; J Ryan, E Hogan, M Collier; S Dooley, J Cleary (0-1); T Heffernan (0-2), T Cleary (0-1), N OMeara (0-2); J Bergin (1-1), E Ryan (1-7, 0-5 frees), J Ryan. Subs: T Nolan for Dooley (33 mins).
Kilkenny: D Walsh; D Ahearne, L O Cinneide, D Power; B Whelan, B O Murchu, N Madden; W Brennan, D Lennon (0-1); C Walsh (0-3), J Tobin, C Martin (0-6, 0-4 frees); L Hickey (0-2), L Kinsella (1-1), J Ryan (0-3). Subs: G Malone for Lennon (46 mins).
Referee: A Stapleton(Laois).
Canada close to humbling England
CRICKET:England came embarrassingly close to a shock defeat against World Cup minnows Canada in their opening warm-up match in Fatullah.
Andrew Strauss’ team began by springing a surprise, promoting Kevin Pietersen to open the batting – and ended it with much more than they bargained for as Rizwan Cheema’s thrilling counter-attack put Canada on the brink of a notable chase.
It seemed Canada had no chance in reply to 243 all out, after Stuart Broad (five for 39) and Ajmal Shahzad reduced them to 28 for five. But Cheema (93) produced a display of sustained hitting which contained 10 fours and five sixes from 70 balls to put his team well ahead of the run rate. In the end, a victory margin of 16 runs grossly flattered England.
Colts offer €17m deal to Manning
AMERICAN FOOTBALL:The Indianapolis Colts have taken quarterback Peyton Manning off the free agent market and are working to sign him to the richest NFL contract ever.
The decision means the four-time MVP cannot negotiate with another team and is expected to make more than €17 million for the 2011 season.
Manning earned about €14 million in 2010 but under an exclusive rights franchise tag, he would be guaranteed a one-year salary equal to the average of the top five salaries for his position or 120 per cent of his previous year's salary.
Taylor will now meet Dilhofova
BOXING:World and european champion Katie Taylor will meet Czech Republic fighter Danuse Dilhofova in the quarter-finals of the multi-nations tournament in Pazardjik, Bulgaria today, writes Johnny Watterson.
Taylor, originally scheduled to fight Carly McNaul from Belfast in the National Senior Championships this week, beat Dilhofova in the quarter-finals of the European Union championships last year when her opponent was disqualified for unsporting conduct when the Bray fighter was 4-1 ahead.
Eastside boxer, McNaul, withdrew from the Championships as she was not 100 per cent prepared.
Higgins into Welsh quarters
SNOOKER:John Higgins became the first man to reach the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open as he beat Dave Harold 4-1 yesterday.
The Scot, who recently returned from a six-month ban for bringing the game into disrepute and is playing his first tournament since losing his father John Sr to cancer, was emotional after his first-round win over youngster Jack Lisowski.
A break of 55 helped Higgins take frame one of his second-round match and he went 2-0 up with a 65. Harold rallied to win the next frame, but Higgins got back in his stride with a 136 total clearance to move to within a frame of victory. He clinched the match in the next frame.
