Other sports news in brief
Irish schools squad announced
RUGBY:The Ireland under-18 schools squad for the Six Nations festival in Parma, Italy, has been announced, writes Gavin Cummiskey. The 26-strong squad departs on Friday week (April 10th) ahead of thee first of three matches starting against Wales that Sunday.
IRELAND SQUAD:Niall Annett (Methodist), Shane Buckley (Rockwell), Conor Carey (Methodist), Chris Colvin (Royal School Armagh), Andrew Conway (Blackrock), Sam Coughlan Murray (Newbridge), Harry Doyle (Royal School Armagh), David Doyle (Gonzaga), Peter du Toit (King's Hospital), Rory Harrison (Methodist), Alex Kelly (St Michaels), Stephen Leckey (Methodist), Brendan Macken (Blackrock), Colin Mallon (St Michaels), Paddy Marks (RBAI), Luke Marshall (Ballymena Academy), James McKinney (Campbell), Martin Moore (Castleknock), Jordi Murphy (Blackrock), Tiarnan O'Halloran (Cistercian Roscrea), David O'Mahony (Presentation), Gareth Quinn McDonagh (Crescent CC), Ben Sargent (Crescent CC), Niall Scannell (Presentation), Aaron Spring (Sligo GS), James Tracy (Newbridge).
Manager:Lorcan Balfe. Coach:Paul Barr. Assistant coach:Kenny Hooks.
Sunday, April 12th:Ireland v Wales, Parma, 4pm; Wednesday, April 15th:Italy v Ireland, Parma, 4.30pm; Saturday, April 18th:Ireland v England, Colorno, 4pm.
Railway Union claim first title
HOCKEY:Railway Union have claimed the first Leinster Division One title in the club's history, their 2-1 defeat of UCD at Park Avenue assuring they will finish the season champions, writes Mary Hannigan.
Emma Smyth scored the winner with a sublime reverse-stick strike, after Lisa Jacob cancelled out Kate Dillon’s first-half goal for Railway.
Murray reaches quarter-finals
TENNIS: Andy Murray raced into the quarter-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami yesterday with a 6-1 6-0 trouncing of Victor Troicki.
The British number one did not need to be anywhere near his best against the beleaguered Serbian as he wrapped up victory in less than an hour.
Macken at centre of alleged breach of FEI regulations
EQUESTRIAN:The FEI yesterday confirmed Eddie Macken to be the Irish international rider at the centre of an anti-doping and medication control issue at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show last August, writes Margie McLoone.
Canada-based Macken, riding the mare Tedechine Sept, was a member of the Ireland team competing for the Aga Khan trophy and the FEI has queried the Co Longford-born rider regarding an alleged breach of its regulations.
The 59-year-old has until April 17th to respond.
The full schedule for this year’s Dublin Horse Show will not be available for another two weeks, but yesterday the RDS announced an increased prize-fund and major changes to the showing programme.
The number of qualifiers for the popular Breeders’ Championship has been halved to six, a combined training competition for Pony Club members has been introduced as has a riding class for ex-racehorses.
Qualifiers, run in conjunction with the Future Event Horse League, will be held for the Connemara performance class while participation in a show hunter class will no longer be a prerequisite for the working hunter championship.
This year’s show will host the final round of the new Meydan FEI Nations’ Cup series which has replaced the Samsung Super League. As no decision has yet been agreed on the number of riders on each of the 10 teams, the show jumping schedule cannot be finalised yet.
