A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Murphy wins final race at regatta
SAILING: Three Irish boats reached the medal race finals of their respective disciplines at the Delta Lloyd World Cup regatta in the Netherlands at the weekend in an encouraging performance leading up to next week's Sail for God event at the London 2012 Olympic venue in Weymouth, writes David Branigan.
Laser Radial single-hander Annalise Murphy won the final, bringing her tally for the week to five race wins.
Two black flag disqualifications hampered her podium chances and the National Yacht Club sailor placed ninth overall.
Skiff sailors Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovren also won the medal race final at Medemblik, bringing their finishing place to fifth overall.
Star class campaigners Peter O’Leary and David Burrows missed the podium to finish fourth, while rival contenders Max Tracy and Anthony Shanks were 12th overall.
Contador claims second Giro
CYCLING:Spain's Alberto Contador claimed his second Giro d'Italia crown yesterday, holding off his closest rival by more than six minutes as the 21-stage event concluded in Milan.
The 28-year-old Saxo Bank-Sungard rider, who won the Giro in 2008, had the victory all but sealed before the final stage and carefully negotiated the streets of Milan to ensure there were no late surprises in the final time trial of the three-week race.
Britain’s sprint specialist David Millar of Garmin Cervelo won the final 26km individual time trial in 30 minutes 13 seconds to clinch his first stage in this year’s competition.
“I’m delighted,” said Millar. “It has taken me thousands of kilometres to get here and I’m very happy with this win.”
Tallaght stages Dublin derby
SOCCER: Regardless of the result against champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium tonight, a big derby at the venue can only benefit the teenagers who help fill out his squad, insists Bohemians' manager Pat Fenlon.
Hamstring injuries continue to sideline Ollie Cahill and Mark Rossiter, though Bohemians, who’ve yet to beat Rovers in Tallaght, were bolstered by the return of Glenn Cronin and striker Christy Fagan in Thursday’s 1-0 win over UCD.
“Whatever happens (tonight) it’s going to be good for them,” said Fenlon of his youngsters. “We’re going to have seven or eight teenagers getting a taste of a real Dublin derby.”
TONIGHT (7.45 unless stated) Premier Division: Derry City v Galway; Drogheda United v Bray Wanderers; Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians (live on Setanta Ireland, 8.05); Sligo Rovers v Dundalk; UCD v St. Patrick’s Athletic. First Division: Athlone Town v Salthill Devon; Limerick FC v Cork City; Mervue United v Longford Town; Monaghan United v Finn Harps (8pm); Wexford Youths v Shelbourne (8pm).
Fox-Pitt dominates at Tattersalls
EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Britain's William Fox-Pitt dominated the Tattersalls international trials, winning all three of the CCI classes in which he could compete, writes Margie McLoone.
In landing the featured CCI*** sponsored by The Irish Field, Fox-Pitt led from the outset, adding two show jumping time penalties to the dressage score of 41.2 on the eight-year-old Lando gelding Oslo.
He won the Rookery Park Stud CCI** on a score of 41.4 with Bay My Hero on which he won the one-star class last year. This time around, he claimed the CCI* on the Lady Voltaire, completing on his dressage score of 38.7.
Katie Moffatt from Kenmare took the CCIJ* on her mother Jill’s skewbald gelding Pick And Mix II.
Britain's Ennis returns in form
ATHLETICS:World and European champion Jessica Ennis fell short of a British record, but could still be justifiably delighted with a commanding victory on her return to heptathlon action in Gotzis, Austria.
Her 6,790 was just 33 below her PB and considerably more than her target of around 6,500 – a fine achievement considering she had missed seven weeks of full training earlier this year.
Sri Lanka opener reported to have failed WC drug test
CRICKET: Sri Lanka opening batsman Upul Tharanga tested positive for a banned substance at this year's World Cup, an International Cricket Council (ICC) source has said.
Left-hander Tharanga scored two centuries in the tournament co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and was the fifth highest run-getter.
He has played 15 Tests and 121 one-day internationals and scored 12 international centuries.
“We have not had any contact from the ICC and we are waiting to hear from them,” Nishantha Ranatunga, the secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket, said from Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times said Tharanga had claimed he was prescribed prednisolone by an alternative medicine practitioner who had treated other cricketers in the past.
Prednisolone, a corticosteroid, is on the Wada banned list.
