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| Jenny Egan 8th in world |
RUGBY LEAGUE: Paul Handforth, Kyle Amor and James Haley have been recalled to the Irish rugby league team playing France in Thomond Park today (Sat)- a first ever rugby league international at the venue.
The trio had missed the 30-6 defeat to Wales two weeks ago in Neath.
While most of the squad play their club ruby in the UK, Joe Taylor of North Dublin Eagles and Paddy Barcoe of Carlow RL are also selected for the squad.
In five attempts, Ireland has never beaten France, with the team’s best result coming in 1997 when they drew 30-30 with “Les Bleus”.
SWIMMING: After becoming the first swimmer ever to round the Fastnet Rock, Stephen Redmond from Cork has been nominated for the annual World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year award.
Redmond started his 26-mile effort in Baltimore and, after circling Fastnet, returned to Schull.
A few weeks later, he added the Catalina Channel in California to his list of achievements. With the North Channel between Scotland and Ireland, the English Channel and the Straits of Gibralter also under his belt, that means that Redmond is well on his way to completing the “Ocean’s Seven” – a challenge consisting of the toughest long distance swims in each of the seven continents. Indeed, he narrowly failed to make it five from seven when he attempted the Molokai Strait swim in Hawaii shortly after his marathon effort in California last month. Making up the “Ocean’s Seven” are the Tsuguru Channell in Japan and the Cook Strait in New Zealand.
BADMINTON: Irish No 1 Scott Evans, who s aiming to qualify for London 2012, lost to Dutch player Eric Pang in the opening round of the Bitburger Open in Germany. Also going out was Chloe Magee who had a tough opener against No 8 seed Eriko Hirose from Japan. Magee, with brother Sam, also went out in the second round of the mixed doubles against Danish pair Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Jahl, seeded No 3. Locally, this weekend’s Irish Junior Open in Dublin’s Terenure Centre , for non-international Irish club players, has attracted a strong entry, with finals tomorrow (Sun).
CANOEING: Salmon Leap’s Jenny Egan produced the best Irish result at the World Marathon Canoe Championships in Singapore when she finished a fighting eighth in the women’s K1 race. Over the 25.8km distance with six portages, Egan was in touch with the lead group at all times and, with the finish in sight, was in the chase for third place with five other boats. In men’s K2, Peter Egan and Neil Fleming came a creditable 11th with a time of 2 hours 13 minute 39 seconds for the 30.1km course. . Fleming suffered badly from the sweltering in men’s K1 and was forced to drop out, although Richard Hendron held on to finish 20th.
HOCKEY: For a second weekend, Irish League Hockey takes priority today (Sat), with the UCD women’s team travelling to Belfast to take on the mighty Pegasus this evening (6pm) and Hermes entertaining Armagh in Booterstown. In the men’s competition, Glenanne will hope to get their campaign back on track when they play Cookstown in Tallaght, while Pembroke will aim for maximum points against Annadale.
TRIATHLON: Irish triathletes Conor Murphy completed his debut season as an professional with a solid 16th place at the Alanya ITU European Cup in Turkey. Her had emerged from the water in 15th place and dropped only one place on the cycle and run. Murphy turned pro after a successful amateur career, winning both European and World Sprint titles in 2010, when he also won the World Aquathon. In 2008 and 2009, the former GAA player also won the World Bog Snorkelling title.
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