SPORTS DIGEST:CYCLING: Tyler Hamilton has finally confessed to cheating and accused other top cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, of doing the same.
In an interview, to be aired on CBS's 60 Minutesshow in the United States on Sunday, the 40-year-old said he witnessed his former team-mate Armstrong inject himself with a blood-booster during the 1999 Tour de France, which Armstrong won.
(Armstrong) took what we all took... there was EPO (erythropoietin)... testosterone... a blood transfusion. I saw (EPO) in his refrigerator. I saw him inject it more than one time.”
Armstrong’s lawyer Mark Fabiani claimed yesterday that Hamiltons accusations were untrue. Hamilton is actively seeking to make money by writing a book, but greed and a hunger for publicity cannot change the facts: Lance Armstrong is the most tested athlete in the history of sports.”
Goals continue to flow for Dublin
GAELIC GAMES: Dublin showed off their strength in depth and their nose for goal as they comfortably saw off Monaghan 4-14 to 1-15 in this tame challenge match at Parnell Park last night.
Pat Gilroy will have been happy as he used 30 different players including the the return of Rory O’Carroll, Paul Griffin, David Henry, Ross McConnell and Eamonn Fennell, while Bernard Brogan was back from the hamstring injury that forced him off in the league final defeat to Cork.
Diarmuid Connolly scored two goals in the first half, while Barry Cahill also netted as Dublin led 3-6 to 1-6 at the break, with Bernard Brogan scoring Dublin’s fourth in the final minute.
SCORERS – Dublin: D Connolly 2-1, B Brogan 1-4, 2f, B Cahill 1-0, E O'Gara, A Brogan 0-2 each, K McManamon, P Flynn, M Quinn, D Henry, G Cullen 0-1 each. Monaghan: P Finlay 0-7,5f, C McManus 1-2, 1f, D McKenna 0-3, 1f, E Duffy 0-2, N McAdam 0-1.
Contador extends lead in mountains
CYCLING:Giro dItalia leader Alberto Contador delivered a second knockout blow to his rivals yesterday after he and stage winner Jose Rujano of Venezuela powered out of the pack on the famous climb up the Glosslockner.
Riding past snowdrifts and through the occasional rain squall on a pass that rose to over 2,000 metres above sea level, Rujano and the Giro leader collaborated to open up a gap of one minute 27 seconds on closest pursuer John Gadret of France. Then with less than 500 metres to go, Contador made gestures to the Venezuelan that indicated that he would not contest the stage win, and he crossed the line close behind Rujano.
Already the leader since his victory on Mount Etna five days ago, Saxo Bank rider Contador now holds a 3.09 margin over Italys Vincenzo Nibali in the general standings.
Donegal’s Philip Deignan came home in 39th position and lies 73rd on the overall standings.
Webber shows liking for Barcelona
MOTOR SPORT:Red Bull's Mark Webber roared back to the top of the timesheets in Spanish Grand Prix practice yesterday at the track that ignited the Australian's title challenge last year.
Webber was quickest in both sessions before and after lunch on a bright day at the Circuit de Catalunya, setting his best time of one minute 22.470 seconds on hard tyres in the afternoon while others found the Pirelli rubber more of a headache.
“The car ran well today, we’ve still got some work to do but it was one of our better Fridays,” said the Australian.
Red Bull had enjoyed a one-two in the morning but Webber was run much closer by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, who split the Red Bulls.
McLaren have brought some significant updates to Barcelona, as have others, after a disappointing showing in Turkey and the initial signs were positive even if Hamilton was harshly critical of the tyres.
The super-hard tyre is a disaster. I think we are about two and a half seconds off the pace with that tyre,” said Hamiton.
Geraghty makes return to Meath championship panel
GAELIC GAMES:Graham Geraghty's comeback to the Meath football panel was confirmed last night, although it remains to be seen if the 38-year-old former All-Ireland-winning captain plays any part in their championship campaign, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Geraghty hasn’t played championship football since 2008, although he has been in good form with his club Clann na nGael in recent weeks. That has apparently prompted Meath manager Seamus McEnaney to invite him into the panel ahead of the defence of their Leinster title – with former Meath full back Darren Fay also being considered for a recall, likewise after a two-year absence from the panel.
That task of defending the Leinster title gets underway in two weeks’ time against either Kildare or Wicklow on June 5th, in Croke Park, and by then Geraghty’s chances of actually playing should be clearer.
Meath defeated Westmeath, 2-10 to 0-12 in a challenge game last night but Geraghty didn’t feature.
Geraghty last lined out for the county in Meath’s 2008 championship exit to Limerick in the qualifiers, although he has been active in football ever since, and is also currently managing Westmeath outfit Castledaly, who have lost their first two games in the local football championship and won’t be in action in the competition again until mid-July.
Daryl Flynn has been ruled out of the Kildare team to play Wicklow tomorrow after suffering an ankle injury in training on Thursday night.
The initial prognosis was that the midfielder had damaged ligaments but fears remain that he may have suffered a fracture and could face a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Ireland deliver win in Denmark
EQUESTRIAN:Ireland won a second Nations' Cup within a week yesterday when landing the Danish four-star event in Copenhagen.
On a zero score, Ireland shared the lead at halfway with the Swedish team who, along with the host nation, were eliminated in round two which was contested by eight of the 15 squads which started.
Captain David O’Brien once again went clear with the Minister for Defence’s Royal Concorde gelding Annestown but US-based Jennifer Crooks failed to follow suit and had two down with SF Uryadi.
Alexander Butler picked up four faults with Harold McGahern’s home-bred Touchdown gelding Will Wimble and Dermott Lennon didn’t have to jump Kalvinretto in round two as victory had been secured.
At home, the highlight of the weekend’s action is tomorrow’s fourth round of the TRM national Grand Prix league at Kill International, Co Kildare. A total of 62 horses have been declared.
