SPORTS DIGEST - HOCKEY: Centre forward John Goulding scored twice in the last five minutes to earn Glenanne a 2-2 draw with Hostivar of the Czech Republic on the opening day of the European Cup Winners' Cup B division tournament in Gibraltar yesterday.
The Dubliners made a nervous start, allowing the Czech side to take a half-time lead and then to increase the margin with a breakaway goal midway through the second period. But with Devin Kehoe settling into the centre midfield role in the absence of Stephen Butler, Glenanne fought back with typical grit for Goulding to reply from open play and to snick an equaliser from a short corner in the last minute.
A more assured overall performance will be needed tomorrow against Lazio of Rome to merit a place in Monday's final against the odds-on favourites, Atletic Terrassa of Spain.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY: A 3-0 defeat by Glasgow Western in the European Cup Winners Cup (A division) at Ourense, Spain yesterday leaves Ballymoney bottom of their pool and almost certainly facing a relegation play-off in their final game tomorrow.
The Ulster side defended valiantly for the first half hour of their match before Glasgow broke their resistance, going on to double their lead on 34 minutes.
The Scottish cup holders made it 3-0 near the death, enough to lift them above Leicester (who beat Club an der Alster 3-2), on goal difference, to the top of the Pool B table.
"It was disappointing," said Ballymoney's Lynsey McVicker, "but a great learning experience, especially for our young players".
Those youngsters could face a torrid 70 minutes today when they meet Leicester in their final pool game - the English team will be intent on beating Ballymoney by a hatful of goals to deny Glasgow, who, they will have to assume, will beat Club an der Alster later in the day, to win through to tomorrow's final.
Ballymoney are likely to meet hosts Ourense or Moscow Pravda in their fifth-eighth place play-off tomorrow, with Rotterdam on course to win Pool A and Italy's Lorenzoni favourites to finish bottom.
Hermes and Loreto, this season's Irish cup finalists, will await the result of tomorrow's game with interest - it will determine whether or not they play in the A or B division of next season's European competition.
CYCLING: For the second year in succession, Phil Cassidy of the Cycleways Lee Strand team proved fastest in the prologue time-trial of the Fexco/Credit Union Rás Mumhan in Killorglin yesterday evening, reports Shane Stokes.
Cassidy covered the 2.6-mile test almost seven seconds faster than second-placed rider Brian Kenneally of the Cidona Carrick Wheelers, with defending champion Eugene Moriarty (Cycleways Lee Strand) a further seven seconds back in sixth place.
The race continues today with a mountainous 104-mile road stage.
TENNIS: Andre Agassi is on course for a second successive Nasdaq100 Open title after Marcelo Rios was forced to retire following two sets of their semi-final clash in Miami.
Rios, winner of the title in 1998, came into the match struggling with a knee injury and he decided enough was enough after Agassi hit back to tie the game up at one-set apiece.
The Chilean won the first set 7-6 (9-7) after fighting off two break points in the seventh game to haul himself back to 6-6.
Rios held his own in the second set until a visibly relieved Agassi, seeking his 51st Tour title, won through 6-4 after breaking his opponents' final service game.
And despite the injury, it was to some surprise that Rios threw in the towel, allowing the American a chance to take his second title in four tour events this year against either Lleyton Hewitt or Roger Federer.
The women's final sees the world number one and top seed Jennifer Capriati taking on Serena Williams.
