Rugby: Ireland's victory over Scotland in the FIRA Under-19 World Championship in Chile means that they will compete for ninth and 10th place on the final day, tomorrow, against Italy.

The Irish team have recovered well from a disastrous opening to the competition that saw them lose 10-9 to Uruguay. They have won all their matches subsequently, and in beating the Italians would have salvaged the best possible finishing position after the opening-day reverse.

France will take on New Zealand in the final, having beating Wales in their semi-final. The underage All Blacks edged past their Southern Hemisphere rivals Australia in the other semi-final. Wales face Australia in a play-off for third and fourth place, while England face South Africa to dispute the fifth and sixth placings.

Cycling: Double FBD Milk Ras winner Phil Cassidy won yesterday's opening stage of the Ras Mumhan race in Kerry, edging former world junior champion Mark Scanlon into second place in the 2.6-mile prologue time trial, reports Shane Stokes.

Scanlon, who has come home from France due to dissatisfaction with his Nantes 44 team, finished six seconds behind Cassidy with Richie Cahill from the Cork Triton team third, one second slower.

The race continues today with a 99-mile stage, and finishes on Monday. After winning last weekend's Ben McKenna memorial, the result confirms that 1999 winner Cassidy is now coming into good condition which just over a month to go to the FBD Milk Ras. The Navan rider had aimed for a slower start to the season than in 2000, when his dominant pre-Ras display ultimately hampered his chances of retaining the title.

RAS MUMHAN - Stage One (2.6-mile TT, in Kerry): 1, P Cassidy (Cycleways) 5 mins 24 secs; 2, M Scanlon (Nantes 44) at 6 secs; 3, R Cahill (Cork Triton Venelux) at 7 secs; 4, E Moriarty (Cycleways) at 9 secs; 5, K Donnelly (Usher IRC) at 10 secs; 6, S Baker (Usher IRC) at 13 secs.