CRICKET: North County and Ireland cricketer Eoin Morgan has been offered a full-time three-year contract with English county side Middlesex after impressive performances for the county's second team and underage sides this summer, writes James Fitzgerald.
Morgan, 18, who is in his final year at Dublin's Catholic University School, recently scored an impressive century for the south of England under-19 team at a regional tournament that was being used by selectors to pick the England under-19s for an upcoming winter tour. It is not clear whether Morgan will be selected for that squad as he is currently ineligible to play for an England side in any match that comes under the auspices of the International Cricket Council.
It is thought that Morgan will be encouraged to declare for England and serve four years in the county game while he earns eligibility. As it stands, he would still be free to play for Ireland during that time without jeopardising his England status but his employers at Lord's may not be prepared to release him to play for Ireland if he manages to earn a regular first-team spot.
So Morgan's success at Middlesex could be a blow for Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the 2007 World Cup as it may mean he is unavailable for next year's ICC Trophy, which will be hosted in Ireland during the regular county season.
RACING: Tony McCoy has won his appeal against a 10-day riding ban for dropping his hands and losing third place on Batten Down at Bangor.
The champion jockey was cleared at a Jockey Club hearing yesterday after receiving the punishment following the cantorsport.co.uk Novices' Handicap Chase last Friday.
McCoy had been hard at work on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained six-year-old in the final mile but was held after taking the final fence, and when he momentarily eased up he was beaten a short head for third by the Tom Scudamore-ridden Finzi.
Seán Fox was also cleared of any offence by the Jockey Club disciplinary panel for his riding of Ice Saint at Fontwell in March. The 21-day ban handed to him by the local stewards was quashed.
The Fontwell stewards had decided that Fox intentionally stepped off the Matt Gingell-trained gelding after jumping the ninth fence in the Cantor Sport Beginners' Chase at the Sussex track on March 8th.
GOLF: The Irish duo of David Mortimer and Lesley Walker posted a pair of 67s for eight under par 208 aggregates in the European Tour School qaulifying stage one to lead by three strokes from England's Oliver Whiteley at the St Annes Old Links yesterday, where 88 players made the 10-over par cut.
MOTOR SPORT: Cork racing driver Michael Keohane has his sights set on contesting next year's IndyCar series in North America, including the famous Indianapolis 500, writes Brian Foley.
The Clonakilty driver's hopes hinge on how he copes with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing's 650bhp Dallara-Chevrolet during testing next week at the Texas Motor Speedway. Keohane has done little racing in the two years since he last competed in the British Formula Three Championship, and at the age of 24 he may have to reinvent himself to be competitive in an ultra-quick IndyCar.
The Irish racing championship finals take place over two days at Mondello Park. Leastone drivers Paul Heavey and Mark Kershaw are the only two in contention for Formula Vee honours tomorrow.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday - IMRC, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 12.00pm; MEC, Sporting Trial, Glenealy, Co.Wicklow, 12.30pm. Sunday - Clare MC, Stages Rally, starts St Flannan's College, Ennis, 10.30am; IMRC, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 12.00pm; TDC, Autotest, Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, 12.30pm; IKC, Kart Racing, Pluxton, Athboy, Co Meath; MRCCI, Midget Car Racing, Navan, Co Meath, 2.30pm.
