A round-up of the other sports news in brief...
Lorenzo wins Catalunya MotoGP
MOTOGP:Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo made it a hat-trick of victories as the Fiat Yamaha rider took advantage of his rivals' mistakes to triumph in front of his home fans at the Catalunya MotoGP yesterday.
Lorenzo started in pole and, after a difficult start, never really looked like relinquishing his position as he claimed his fifth win of seven races with a flawless performance.
The victory, his third in a row, sees Lorenzo extend his lead at the top of the standings to 52 points over compatriot Dani Pedrosa.
Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso, third in the standings, had looked set to challenge Lorenzo all the way, with the Italian clinging close to the Spaniard’s back wheel before sliding out with 10 laps to go.
Lorenzo then had a clear route to the finish, taking victory with a massive 4.754-second advantage over Pedrosa.
McCaw insists South Africa beatable
RUGBY:New Zealand captain Richie McCaw will lead his team into the first of two home Tests against South Africa next Saturday, insisting the world champions are good but not unbeatable. McCaw is not used to the feeling of having lost three successive Tests to South Africa, as happened last year, and there is a steely desire to turn those results around in this year's Tri Nations. "The Africans are a good team, but they are not a team that is unbeatable either. From our point of view we want to go out and play some good rugby," McCaw said.
New Zealand open their Tri Nations campaign with back-to-back Tests against the reigning champions in Auckland next Saturday and Wellington on July 17th.
Cusack's five-star show seals victory
CRICKET:A five-wicket haul from Clontarf all-rounder Alex Cusack helped Ireland beat Afghanistan by 39 runs in their second match of the World Cricket League Division One in Rotterdam yesterday, writes Emmet Riordan.
The game spilled over into a second day after rain curtailed Saturday’s play to Ireland’s innings. Cusack’s club-mate Andrew Poynter proved the star with the bat, making 78 in a total of 237 for nine, his first one-day international half-century and highest score for Ireland. Kevin O’Brien added 44, while Trent Johnston’s quick-fire 42 not out from 28 balls added late impetus.
Cusack struck twice in his first over, took a wicket with the second ball of his second spell and then came back to finish off the Afghanistan tail as they were bowled out for 198 to give the 29-year-old figures of five for 20, his best figures for Ireland on his 87th appearance.
Ireland play Scotland at Vorburg today in a battle of the two unbeaten sides in the competition.
O'Leary back in management
SOCCER:David O'Leary has made a return to football management after a four-year absence with Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates.
Former Aston Villa and Leeds manager O’Leary will take charge of the ambitious Pro League side who have also recruited Italy international Fabio Cannavaro.
Morrison claims fifth at Europeans
TRIATHLON:Derry's Aileen Morrison claimed fifth place in the Elite women's race at the European Championships in Athlone yesterday.
The 28-year-old came 54 seconds behind Britain’s Nicola Spirig, who won in a time of 1 hour 57 minutes and 57 seconds.
Britain’s Alistair Brownlee added to his growing collection of major triathlon titles in Athlone by being crowned European champion in the Elite men’s race.
It was the one title the 22-year-old did not win last year, when he was pipped by Spain’s Javier Gomez.
Brownlee worked with his younger brother Jonny to close down a break from Gomez on the swimming leg and did not look back after exiting the bike phase in the lead and won in a time of 1:44.24.
Bryan Keane was the best of the Irish finishers, coming home in 37th position at the event, which saw a record 4,000 participants take part.
Rovers hoping Baker will return for summit meeting
SOCCER:Shamrock Rovers' manager Michael O'Neill will again give striker Dessie Baker every chance to prove his fitness ahead of tonight's top-of-the-table clash with leaders St Patrick's Athletic at Tallaght Stadium, writes Paul Buttner.
An Achilles strain has troubled Baker since the return from the summer break, but, save for long-term injury Pat Sullivan, he remains Rovers’ only injury worry following their encouraging win at Sligo Rovers on Friday.
“Dessie wasn’t ready for that one, but we’ll look at him again,” said O’Neill. “There’s a chance he could make it.”
Each side has won their respective away clashes this season, so O’Neill wants to buck that trend tonight. “There is no doubt that this is a big game for us,” said O’Neill. “Pat’s have done excellently so far this season. But we went to Inchicore earlier in the season and got an impressive win. They also won in Tallaght, so the away team has had the upper hand so far. But we’ll be looking to change that.
“This is a chance for us to go top of the league, and we’ll be doing our utmost to be there at the end of the 90 minutes.”
St Patrick’s defence returns to full strength as both right back and captain Damian Lynch and central defender Shane Guthrie are back from suspension.
Tonight Premier Division fixtures (7.45 unless stated): Dundalk v Drogheda United; Galway United v Bray Wanderers; Shamrock Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic (8pm); Sporting Fingal v Sligo Rovers; UCD v Bohemians.
