Golf: Dubliner Robert McCarthy survived a tense extra-hole battle last night to move into the second round of the British Boys' Open amateur championship at Ganton, North Yorkshire.
The 18-year-old scratch handicapper from The Island edged home on the 19th against North Manchester's Martyn Hamer. McCarthy got up and down from a greenside bunker at the 18th to keep the match alive and then claimed the victory after Hamer fired his tee shot into trouble at the first extra hole.
Brilliant 15-year-old Gareth Shaw from Lurgan moved on with a 3 and 2 defeat of Ivan Lara from Spain. Two down after four holes, he birdied both the fifth and sixth to draw level and was still all square at the turn. A solid par three at the short 10th put Shaw one up and he won the 11th to increase his advantage.
After a succession of halves he captured the 16th to book his place in the second round and a meeting with American David Erickson.
There was disappointment for two Irish Boys' internationals - Co Sligo's Martin McTernan and Connemara's Kenneth Fahey.
McTernan was beaten at the 19th by Lee Shepherd from Cleckheaton after being very wayward on the closing few holes. Fahey was outplayed by Robert Christian of Beaconsfield and went down 3 and 2.
Darren McWilliams from Holywood made early progress into the second round with a 2 and 1 victory over Christopher Rudd of Meltham. However, David Rawluk from The Island did not fire on all cylinders as he went down 4 and 3 to Spaniard Joaquin Sierra but Irish junior international Niall Turner was successful.
Golf: Eddie Doyle, from The Heath golf club in Co Laois, upstaged the European Tour professionals in yesterday's £12,000 Motorola pro-am tournament at Little Island in Cork.
Doyle carded 68 (four under par) to win by two shots from Philip Walton with Des Smyth in a group on 71 and Eamon Darcy down the leaderboard in joint 14th place on 73.
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Hockey: Ireland's women's team helped themselves to a morale-boosting 6-0 victory over Wales in Cardiff yesterday with several of the squad's younger players, most notably the University of Limerick's Eimear Cregan - daughter of Limerick hurling manager Eamonn - acquitting themselves well as they battle to make Riet Kuper's panel of 18 for the World Cup Qualifier next month, writes Mary Hannigan.
Two goals apiece from Ulster's Arlene Boyles and Lynsey McVicker added to scores from Laura Lee and Jenny Burke secured the win. Along with Cregan, Loreto's Sarah Rand and Nikki Symmons also won their first full caps and made impressive debuts.
Motor Sport: The organisers of the Australian grand prix look set to be officially absolved of responsibility for the accident in this year's race which resulted in a track marshal being killed by flying debris. According to sources in Melbourne, motor racing's governing body has concluded that a freak set of circumstances resulted in the death of Graham Beveridge, who was hit by a wheel following a collision between two competitors early in the race.
