A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Blow for Wexford as Banville opts to emigrate
GAELIC GAMES: Wexford senior football has been dealt a huge blow with the decision of forward PJ Banville to emigrate to Australia.
Banville will leave Irish shores in January to kick-start a new career Down Under. “I have been thinking about it for some time, possibly over the last two years, but kept putting it on the long finger,” Banville said yesterday.
“Right now my girlfriend has been out of work for the past two months and she is leaving for Australia this month. We decided to take on this new lifestyle given our situation.
“I will be joining up with her in January for 12 months so hopefully everything will be okay from a work point of view.”
The 24-year-old forward is looking forward to a new life in Australia. “Its something Ive always wanted to do. Ill be 25 next summer so I felt the time is right. Ill miss the football both with the club and county.”
Smyth warns best to come
ATHLETICS: Double Paralympic sprint champion and world record holder Jason Smyth yesterday warned his rivals: "The best is still to come." The 23-year-old Irish sprinter is the world record holder at 100m and 200m T13 and is preparing to defend his two world titles in January.
He is determined to improve on his personal best times of 10.32 seconds for the 100 metres and 21.00 seconds for the 200 metres in 2011.“I definitely feel a good way from the finished article so I think there is a good bit of improving to come. I even believe this year I never ran as quick as I should for the shape I was in.” He was diagnosed at the age of eight with Stargardt’s disease, an inherited juvenile macular degeneration that causes progressive vision loss.
Clarke earns point with late free
GAELIC GAMES: A 100-metre pointed free from Rhys Clarke seconds from the end handed St Peter's College a late draw – 1-10 to 0-13 – with Birr CS in a exciting Leinster Colleges' A senior hurling championship game at Kilkenny yesterday.
Birr CS were quick off the mark in the opening 30 minutes as Liam Brady and Andrew Connolly were dominant in midfield, backed by an excellent centre-back display from Andrew Browne.An Eoin Ó Donaghain goal 12 minutes from the end set up an improving St Peters who rescued a deserved point with Clarkes huge late free.
St Peter’s College: R Clarke 0-7, (0-6 frees); E O Donaghain (1-0); J ODowd (0-2); K Whelan (0-1). Birr CS: B Murphy, P Hogan, E Hayes, P Mullins, S OConnor (0-2 each); L Brady, D Cleary, A Connolly (0-1 each).
Kallis guides South Africa to victory
CRICKET: Jacques Kallis starred with bat and ball to help South Africa wrap up a 3-2 one-day series win over Pakistan after a 57-run victory in the final match in Dubai.
In a game marred by another off-field controversy for the Pakistanis – wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider disappeared from the team hotel and it was later discovered he had flown to Britain – they were let down by poor bowling that allowed the Proteas to set a daunting 318 for victory. JP Duminy’s unbeaten 59 from 41 balls was one of four with Hashim Amla (62), Kallis (83) and AB de Villiers (61) all among the runs. In response Umar Akmal (59) and Mohammad Hafeez (60) hit half-centuries, but no one really kicked on as the Asian side were dismissed for 260 with 5.1 overs to spare — Kallis taking three for 30. Haider’s absence meant Akmal was forced to come into the team and take the gloves.
