SPORTS DIGEST Olympic Games – BoxingTwitter and Facebook have been counted out for the Irish boxing squad for the duration of the Olympic Games.
Following a meeting at the squad's training camp in Assisi, Italy last Friday, it was decided to put an embargo on commenting on all social networks until after the 30th Olympiad.
Team captain Darren O'Neill, John Joe Nevin and Adam Nolan posted notices on their Twitter and Facebook pages over the weekend stating that they were signing off for now.
Ireland will finish up their training camp in Assisi today and are due to arrive in London at 3.15pm tomorrow ahead of Friday's general weigh-in and draw.
The seeding arrangements for boxing at London 2012 will be announced after Friday's general weigh-in.
Katie Taylor and John Joe Nevin will be seeded as they are ranked number one and four in the lightweight and bantamweight classes.
Edgar and Cooper bring home silver
RowingIreland brought home a silver medal from the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a 12-nation European junior tournament, at the weekend. Brooke Edgar and Aoife Cooper gave Ireland something to cheer about at Banyoles in Spain on Saturday when they chased the host country to the finish in the women's pair. Spain again struck gold yesterday and the final developed in a very similar way, but Cooper and Edgar were passed in the closing stages by Italy and Britain and finished fourth.
Ireland qualified two other crews for A Finals yesterday. The double scull of Andrew Griffin and David Quinlan and the lightweight four both finished sixth, as the four had on Saturday.
The men’s quadruple finished fifth on Saturday.
At the Home Countries’ International Regatta in Cardiff, Ireland’s senior women placed second and junior men third – just two points off winners England.
LIAM GORMAN
Bangladesh push Ireland down two places to 11th
CricketBangladesh moved up to fourth spot in the Twenty20 world rankings and pushed Ireland down two places to 11th as they completed a three-nil clean sweep in the RSA Series at Stormont on Saturday.
It proved another terribly close affair between the sides, with the Tigers getting home off the last ball of the game as Elias Sunny ran a single to get his side past Ireland’s total of 140.
It was a great recovery from the tourists after they had been reduced to 89 for six at one stage, but 30 off 13 balls from Mashrafe Mortaza swung the game in the late overs.
Mortaza had earlier taken four wickets for 19 to slow Ireland’s innings down, with four batmen making it to scores in the 20s but failing to push on.
Meanwhile, the South won the first Inter-Regional match at Waringstown yesterday by 98 runs, with Max Sorensen taking five for 25 as the North were bowled out for 125 chasing the South’s total of 223.
EMMET RIORDAN
Pony eventers take two gold medals
EquestrianIreland's pony eventing team won the gold medal at the European Championships at Fontainebleau yesterday, with Cathal Daniels (Master Murrose) claiming the individual gold.
In addition to the Galway rider, the team comprised Co Tipperary’s Ana O’Brien, who took individual bronze with Ice Cool Bailey, Co Wexford’s Lucy Latta (Nono) and Co Cork’s Gavin Smiddy (Mr Hale Bob). The team led from the dressage phase to finish ahead of Great Britain and The Netherlands.
Speaking immediately after yesterday’s triumph, Horse Sport Ireland’s pony eventing high performance manager Sue Shortt said: “I knew in the last few weeks that we had the best team Ireland had ever fielded at the European Championships and their performance was fantastic. I’m delighted for the kids, they deserved everything they won today. This is the first time an Irish team has ever led the field after dressage and we owe that to our dressage coach Sue Smallman.”
MARGIE McLOONE
Barbera to miss US Grand Prix after training accident
MotoGPSpanish MotoGP rider Hector Barbera will miss next week's US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca after breaking his left leg and shinbone in a training accident.
The Ducati Pramac Racing team said their sole rider underwent surgery in Barcelona yesterday, with a titanium plate and several screws inserted, and would be out for up to six weeks.
“We are confident that Hector will be able to leave the hospital in 48 hours and can begin light physical activity in seven days,” said surgeon Xavier Mir in a statement.
The injury came only a week after the rider secured his first front row MotoGP start by qualifying third for the Italian Grand Prix. Barbera is 11th overall with 60 points.
