Snooker: Harold shock for champ Maguire
SNOOKER: John Higgins and Dave Harold will lock horns in the first of today's semi-finals at the Northern Ireland Trophy in Belfast.
Higgins, the two-time world champion, battled hard for a 5-3 victory over Preston potter Ian McCulloch at the Waterfront Hall, but it was Harold who caused the upset of the day.
A qualifier from Stoke, Harold dumped out defending champion Stephen Maguire with a crushing 5-2 victory.
"I've got a great record against Stephen, that's three wins out of three,'' recalled a delighted Harold.
"It's a semi-final next but it would be fantastic if I could get to a final."
World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan held off a fightback from Barry Hawkins to secure a 5-4 win and a place in the semi-finals.
The world number one opened with a break of 122 but was pegged back from 4-1 to 4-4 before taking the decider.
O'Sullivan now faces Ali Carter, who saw off home favourite Mark Allen 5-2.
Scannell steps in as Ireland coach
BASKETBALL: Sasa Punosevac has left his position as head coach of Ireland's senior women's team with immediate effect due to personal reasons.
Montenotte Hotel, Cork head coach Mark Scannell will take charge of Ireland's European clash with Slovenia tonight (7.0) and remain in the role on a temporary basis until the end of this season's qualifying campaign.
Ireland started their European Division B Group A series of matches with a 68-56 loss away to Montenegro on Wednesday and travel to the University of Limerick for the visit of Slovenia.
