Eddie Irvine has cast doubt over the formula one future of his Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher in an interview with a German magazine, writes Alan Henry.
The Ulsterman told Auto, Motor und Sport "Who knows if he will come back at all?" when asked if Schumacher would return racing after recovering from the fractured right leg sustained at Silverstone three weeks ago.
The winner of the Austrian grand prix, who lies second in the world championship two points behind the McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen, added: "I could not say if I was in his position with a wife and two children whether I would do it all again."
Equestrian: Harry Marshall has issued a High Court summons against the Show Jumping Association of Ireland in protest at the SJAI's selection process, writes Grania Willis.
The Co Antrim rider is suing the national sport's governing body following the announcement that he has been selected with only one horse for the international classes at next week's Kerrygold Horse Show in Dublin. Six other riders have been named with two horses each.
Marshall, who has won three Grand Prix classes on the national circuit this year with Cruiseline, is suing the SJAI for loss of earnings and for what he describes as "unforeseen loss of earnings". He is demanding that the SJAI's selection criteria be made public.
SJAI personnel declined to comment last night.
Hockey: Ireland brought their four-match tour of Europe to an end yesterday with a 3-0 victory over Belgium in Utrecht, with Pegasus winger Claire McMahon scoring her seventh goal in as many games.
McMahon rounded off a superb move, involving Arlene Thompson, Sarah Kelleher and Mary Logue, on the stroke of half-time, slotting the ball past the Belgian goalkeeper from a narrow angle on the right. Rachel Kohler made it 2-0 from a penalty corner 10 minutes in to the second half before Jill Orbinson completed the scoring in the 51st minute.
Tennis: Ireland's two top seeded entries, Conor Niland of Limerick and Elsa O'Riain of Cork, kept their strong challenges alive in the quarter-finals of the ITF world junior ranking tennis tournament at Leopardstown yesterday.
Under 18 Boys Singles: Quarter-finals - C Niland bt I Flanagan (Gbr) 6-2 7-5, N Crawley (Gbr) bt J Young (Gbr) 6-1 6-2, S Weidl (Ger) bt F Aarum (Nor) 7-5 6-1, N Bamford (Gbr) bt D O'Connell 3-6 7-6 6-1.
Under 18 Girls Singles: Quarter-finals - E O'Riain bt D Van Boekel (Ned) 6-2 6-1, M Immink (Gbr) bt S McIntyre 7-6 6-3, H Broome (Gbr) bt L Cowper (Gbr) 6-4 6-1, I De Geest (Ned) bt R Hennis (Gbr) 7-6 6-3.
