Sports Digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

Carter takes maximum bounce to reach semi-final

SNOOKER: Ali Carter celebrated his historic maximum break with a quarter-final victory over Peter Ebdon at the 888.com World Championship in Sheffield yesterday.

Carter's 147 came just 24 hours after Ronnie O'Sullivan's, the first time two have been scored in the same tournament, and helped him to a 9-7 overnight lead.

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And the 28-year-old from Essex turned that into a 13-9 victory yesterday to seal his first Crucible semi-final, against either Stephen Maguire or Joe Perry.

The other semi-final will see the seven-time champion Stephen Hendry take on another former champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Hendry completed a comfortable 13-7 victory over Wales's Ryan Day.

O'Sullivan cruised past the 21-year-old Chinese qualifier Liang Wenbo, winning 13-7.

Holland travels with strong squad

ROWING: Ireland's rowers travel in strength to the first World Cup of the season next week in Munich, with all seven boats in Olympic classes, writes Liam Gorman.

A number of crews will hope to lay down markers for the Olympic Qualifier in Poland next month. The revamped lightweight four will target being the "top non-qualifier" in Munich, coach John Holland said.

Holland is also overseeing the heavyweight women's double of Caroline Ryan and Sinead Jennings, who are "coming along nicely".

Jonno Devlin and Sean Casey form a promising heavyweight pair. The heavyweight four, which has qualified for Beijing, sees NUIG's James Wall come in for Casey. Two lightweight doubles and sculler Seán Jacob complete the team.

TEAM for Munich, May 8th to 11th. Men: Four (J Wall, S O'Neill, C Folan, A Martin); Pair (J Devlin, S Casey); Lightweight Four (E Coakley, G Towey, R Archibald, P Griffin); Single Scull (S Jacob): Lightweight Double Scull (R Coakley, C Moynihan). Women: Double Scull (C Ryan, S Jennings): Lightweight Double Scull (N Ní Cheilleachair, O Duddy).

Olympians head for training camp 

BOXING: IRISH boxing chiefs have named 2008 Olympians Paddy Barnes, John Joe Nevin and John Joe Joyce in a 10-man squad for next week's training camp in France, writes Bernard O'Neill.

Ireland are using the camp as part of their preparations for June's EU Championships in Poland.

An eight-man junior panel has been named for a multi-nations tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan.

SQUAD for Bugeat, France (May 5th-13th): 48k P Barnes (Holy Family); 54k JJ Nevin (Cavan), R Lindberg (Immaculata); 57k D O Joyce (Athy), C Frampton (Midland White City); 60k R Hickey (Grangecon), A Cacace (Holy Trinity); 64k JJ Joyce (Athy); 69k R Sheahan (Athy); 91k C Sheehan (Clonmel).

SQUAD for Azerbaijan (May 4th-11th): 48k K Forde (Monivea); 52k C Joyce (Athy); 54k E Wright (Finn Valley); 57k C Mullaly (Ryston); 63k J Ward (Ryston); 66k C Blaney (Navan); 70k G Burne (Wexford CBS); 81k C Gallagher (Saints).