A round-up of today's other sports news in brief
Grand Slam trio in Ulster squad for Leinster game
RUGBY:Ulster coach Matt Williams named a 25-man squad for Sunday's Magners League game against Leinster at the RDS, reports John O'Sullivan
It includes Grand Slam medal winners Tom Court, Rory Best and Paddy Wallace. But Stephen Ferris, who injured a hand in Cardiff at the weekend, misses out.
Scottish international Simon Danielli and Italian second row Carlo Del Fava provide further international experience while South African-born number eight Robbie Diack returns to the squad after recovering from fracturing his fifth metatarsal, in an away game against Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, the Celtic Rugby Board has given a tentative approval to two Italian teams joining the Magners League the season after next.
ULSTER (squad v Leinster):J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, T Court, B Botha, B Young, E O'Donoghue, M McCullough, C Del Fava, C Henry, D Pollock, R Best, R Caldwell , R Diack, S Danielli, D Cave, A Trimble, C Willis, N O'Connor, C Schifcofske, I Whitten, I Boss, I Humphreys, M McCrea, T Nagusa, P Wallace.
O’Connor wins in Italy
EQUESTRIAN:Cian O'Connor won the first of the four-star classes on the Toscana tour when Frances Murphy's P.S. I Love You set the fastest time in yesterday's 1.40m two-phase Welcome Stakes out of 197 starters, reports Margie McLoone.
Meath-based O’Connor has also brought Complete, Baloufina and Splendor to the Italian venue where Jessica Kuerten rides her top horse Castle Forbes Libertina, Quibell and two newcomers to her string, Dishy Chrissy and Lavie. Denis Lynch and fellow Tipperary native Thomas Ryan line out at the three-star show in Dortmund this weekend.
At home, there are two legs of the Horse Sport Ireland/Guidam spring Tour on Sunday, at the Cavan Equestrian Centre and Maryville in Co Cork, while a massive entry for tomorrow’s one-day event in Tyrella, Co Down means a 10am start to the cross-country phase.
Banks gets Swim Ireland post
SWIMMING:The former coach at Newpark Sports Complex in Blackrock, Dublin, Peter Banks, has been appointed as high performance director for Swim Ireland and will officially take up the position on May 1st, 2009, reports Johnny Watterson.
Banks, who moved from Ireland to Florida in 1989 to further his career, is one of the most experienced and well-respected swimming coaches in the world. He has coached age-group, national, international and Olympic swimmers including American swimmer Brooke Bennett, winner of three individual Olympic gold medals (1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney).
Banks has also held the position of director of club development for the American swim coaches association, and he joins the Irish team from his current position of sports development and aquatics director at Brandon Sports Aqautic Centre in Brandon, Florida.
Ireland win by six wickets
CRICKET:Andrew Poynter and Regan West took the plaudits as Ireland defeated Afghanistan by six wickets to earn a first win in their build-up to next week's World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa, writes Emmet Riordan.
After losses to Eastern Province and Zimbabwe ‘A’, coach Phil Simmons added the game in an effort to sharpen up his side before next Wednesday’s opener against Scotland.
Afghanistan had started confidently and had reached 69 for two before their innings imploded. Left-arm spinner West, a late replacement for the injured Kyle McCallan, did most of the damage with four wickets for 11 runs from his nine overs.
Peter Connell (3-24) and Trent Johnston (2-21) also got in on the act as the Afghans lost their last eight wickets for just 17 runs.
Clontarf all-rounder Poynter continued his impressive form in the warm-up games with an unbeaten 38 as Ireland chased down their total in just 22.2 overs.
