BOXING: Predictably, it was little more than a workout for James Moore, the world championship bronze medallist from Arklow, when the National Senior Championships entered the closing stages at the National Stadium on Saturday, writes Pat Roche.
BOXING: Predictably, it was little more than a workout for James Moore, the world championship bronze medallist from Arklow, when the National Senior Championships entered the closing stages at the National Stadium on Saturday, writes Pat Roche.
And the same could be said of Andy Lee, the St Francis Limerick middle and silver medallist at the World Junior Championships. Clear-cut victories for both reflected their strong claims on the titles on Friday week. Moore won handily - it was no surprise when the referee stopped it in the fourth.
By that stage his Dealgan opponent, Ciarán Curtis, had little to offer and his predictable long left lead made matters even easier for Moore, strong favourite to retain the title.
Curtis took a standing count of eight in the third round after being warned for holding. The margin was 20-4 and mounting when the referee called a halt.
Moore's bid to reach another final next Friday sees him in against Mayo's Henry Coyle, an 18-10 winner over Dunfanaghy's Joe Harkin Harkin. Coyle is a busy welter willing to throw a punch a second. He led from the start and forced Harkin to take a standing count in the fourth.
Middleweight Andy Lee was expected to have it tough against Darren Sutherland but the Limerickman's ringcraft saw him earn a 12-point winning margin.
BASKETBALL: A Cup-tired Star of the Sea had a mixed weekend, going down 83-88 to St Vincent's on Friday night before coming back on Saturday to defeat Waterford Crystal 94-72.
Notre Dame's new signing Terence Ward hit 30 points in his first game, but it was not enough to overcome Neptune, who won 105-98.
UCC Demons continued their winning ways with a 72-85 victory over Frosties Tigers, while St Vincent's are very much back in the driving seat following two victories at the weekend.
Following a 91-72 win over Drimnagh Dynamoes, University of Limerick are now only one win away from their first ever Superleague title. A victory over Waterford Wildcats next weekend will seal it for them.
CYCLING: Tommy Evans's stated goal of landing a stage win in the Telekom Malaysia Tour de Langkawi came to naught when the race ended yesterday in rain-lashed Kuala Lumpur. Evans finished towards the rear of the field in the concluding criterium and was also well back on Saturday's climb to the 6,000-foot summit of the Genting Highlands.
The Irish amateur will nevertheless be pleased with a strong showing against the professionals during the 10-day event, netting four top-20 placings, 10th in the mountains competition and 19th on points.
First across the line yesterday was Ceramiche Panaria Fiordo rider-Ruben Bongiorno.
Saturn rider-Tom Danielson held onto the yellow jersey and so took the biggest win of his career, while last year´s champion, Herman Dario Munoz, was runner-up.
