Cycling: Deignan delight after top-10 finish
Philip Deignan yesterday recorded the best performance by an Irish cyclist in almost two decades when he finished ninth overall in the Vuelta Espana, as the three-week tour of Spain came to it's conclusion on a city-centre based circuit in Madrid.
The 26-year-old Letterkenny professional, who rides for the Cervelo Test Team, became the first Irish rider to win a stage of a Grand Tour since Stephen Roche took stage 16 of the 1992 Tour de France, when he outsprinted last year's Tour of Switzerland winner Roman Kreuziger to claim victory on stage 18 into Avila.
Yesterday's stage was won in a mass bunch gallop to the line by Columbia's green jersey winner Andre Greipel, while Spaniard Alejandro Valverde took overall victory. Deignan finished 11 minutes and eight seconds behind Valverde and will now represent Ireland at the world professional road race championships in Switzerland next Sunday alongside Dan Martin, who finished 38th in his first Grand Tour, and national road race champion Nicolas Roche.
"I'm so relieved to have held onto my top-10 placing," said Deignan yesterday. "I came into this thinking a top-20 place might be possible but it has exceeded all my expectations. To win the stage into Avila was a dream come true and it still hasn't sunk in yet that I'm the first Irish rider to win a stage of a Grand Tour in 17 years."
Fingal's Cats bring no luck in Neville Cup
The fallout from the disappearance of relegated Kilkenny from top-class hockey was felt at Dublin Airport over the weekend.
There was no shortage of Cats on patrol in the Neville Cup game at the ALSAA complex, as Fingal were defeated 2-1 by visiting southsiders Monkstown.
Fingal's only goal of the game was struck home on the volley by Kilkenny product Gary Sharman, while fellow Noresider Stephen Thompson played at the heart of the home defence.
Meanwhile, Monkstown have cast their net as far afield as New Zealand during the close season, signing striker Andy Ewington to their panel.
Wilkinson points way for Toulon
Jonny Wilkinson scored every point for Toulon in their 18-13 win over Toulouse at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille yesterday.
Three penalties and three drop-goals by the English out-half carried the hosts to their fourth victory of the season that lifted them to third place.
Toulouse out-half Frederic Michalak scored the only try of the game for a personal tally of 10 points and a late penalty from scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde was enough to secure a losing bonus point.
- CYCLING HOCKEY RUGBY
