Sports Digest: EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Ireland's show jumpers have crashed out of the Samsung Super League and will be relegated to the second division next season after finishing equal fifth at the final in Barcelona yesterday, writes Grania Willis.
An opening clear from Irish pathfinder Capt Shane Carey gave an initial boost to team morale, but both Billy Twomey and Marie Burke returned eight faulters and only Cameron Hanley came close to a zero, lowering just the second part of the double two from home.
A half-time tally of 12 left Team Ireland in a three-way tie for third but, more importantly, the Swedes were down in joint-sixth. If Ireland were to stay in the Super League for 2007, they had to finish two places clear of Sweden. But Army horse Killossery struggled over the raised course second time round, finishing with a disappointing 16 faults for Carey and suddenly the Irish cause was looking fragile.
Twomey, whose performance at the Barcelona Polo Club 12 months ago had clinched Ireland's place in the Super League for 2006, came back with another eight on the mare Anastasia before Marie Burke, Ireland's brightest star at the world equestrian games in Aachen, hit only the vertical after the water with Chippison for just four faults.
Once again all the pressure was on last man in, Hanley. The Mayo man's football team had failed to deliver at Croke Park, but Claremorris-born rider conjured up a magical clear with SIEC Hippica Kerman.
It was too little, too late. The Swedes had already clinched fourth place and Ireland, a fence behind, shared fifth with Switzerland.
"It's very disappointing," team manager Robert Splaine said afterwards, "but we'll just have to put our heads together and fight back. We've been plagued with injuries, but I had to play with the cards I was dealt and unfortunately it just didn't work out."
Splaine says he will be meeting with the Equestrian Federation of Ireland jumping committee as soon as possible to discuss the future and he didn't rule out seeking increased funding from the Sports Council to finance next year's campaign for promotion out of the second division and back into the Super League.
Whether those funds will be forthcoming is a moot point as neither of the two main goals of the season - Olympic qualification and a continued place in the Samsung Super League - has been achieved.
But at least the Dublin Horse Show will host a Super League round next August and Ireland, although ineligible for Super League points, will still be in the running for Aga Khan honours.
There wasn't much better news from the junior European three-day event championships at Necarne Castle in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, where the Irish team finished well out of the medal zone. National junior champion Camilla Speirs was best of the home side in 13th, but the team ended in seventh, behind medal winners Germany, Britain and France.
CYCLING: With the under-23 world championship road race now less than a week away, Irish riders Paídí O'Brien and Mark Cassidy showed good form in the top competition race held in Hotton on Saturday, writes Shane Stokes.
O'Brien was fifth, while Cassidy was 17th.
Meanwhile, Robin Seymour had a successful weekend at the final round of the British Cycling XCO (cross country) Premier 1 series in Checkendon. On Saturday he finished second, 25 seconds behind Oli Beckinsdale, finishing third overall in the series.
He then won the 100 kilometre marathon event held at the same venue yesterday, finishing as the overall winner of the five-race contest. Tarja Owens was fourth of the women in Saturday's race.
RUGBY: Leinster backs Robert Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald have been called up to the Irish squad for their three-day mini training camp this week as replacements for Munster duo John Kelly and Anthony Horgan, who have both been forced to withdraw from the camp due to injury.
RUGBY: The Old Wesley and CYM clubs, along with many in the Leinster Branch and in Leinster rugby circles, would all have been saddened over the weekend to learn of the sudden death of Dave Egan. He had the rare distinction of being president of both a junior club, CYM, and a senior one, Old Wesley, in 2003-'04, and also served as honorary head steward of the Leinster Branch for 20 years as well as co-ordinating the medical activities of the branch, also in an honorary capacity. A popular, sociable figure at Leinster matches, Dave will be missed by many and our sympathies are extended to Maureen and his children.
