User:rorynoonanDate:10/04/2013Time:08:10:51Edition:10/04/2013Wedwedecho100413Page:56Color:
EE - V0
User:johnroycroftDate:09/04/2013Time:12:48:46Edition:10/04/2013Wedwedecho100413Page:49Color:
Evening Echo
SPORT
EE - V1
Wednesday,
April 10, 2013
Munster: A tale of two cities
SPORT
Birchall has weekend of her life over in Scotland CYCLING
By BRIAN CANTY CORK teenager Emily Birchall enjoyed the has weekend of her life, taking the overall race at the Youth win in the girls’ Tour of Scotland and winning three of the four stages on offer.
Birchall was simply best of the British too good for the over the past days and was aided and abettedthree yesterday by strong rode with a tactical teammates who nous well beyond their years.
The Fermoy youngster started weekend in the her manner she clearly intended to continue, taking the opening circuit race stage on Saturday. She had spare over Eleanor nine seconds to London) in second. Dickinson (Royal In another fantastic result for the Irish girls, Ciara Doogan rounded out the podium in third place, 1:28 down her victorious on team Cooke also riding mate. Laura for Ireland’s Neenan Travel Talent Team 2020 was 10th on STILL GOT IT: the stage and Naoise Sheridan was ebrates after Munster’s Ronan O’Gara cel21st. The following Heineken Cuptheir victory over Harlequins morning, Sunday, quarter-final at IF YOU were Birchall wore ham Stoop, London the the leader’s yellow sand people to ask a thoujersey into the last Sunday. Twickensecond stage, criterium. She of Munster where the home a Picture: SPORTSFILE infiltrated a four-rider three positions move that put hundred and rugby is, nine in the backrow more than one make him a into the rest them would ninety nine of will juggernaut very viable of the field. The minute option. from Cork The way he would finish Irish girl ‘Limerick’. probably reply that must get the credit they threw himself fourth, the field on deserve. going to Londoner with the stage win Sunday carried around Starting Dickinson at the top, caution, but Because of a note of was second you have CEO that is what Gareth Fitzgerald, the historical on the opening who makes him ance that the player he importstage. Sheridan was the man reverberates signs the cheques, is. 16th, Laura who within the walls of Thomond Cooke There would 18th and Ciara and is ultimately responsible Doogan 25th. Park, Limerick for everything. will always in the Evening not be enough pages However, if it be Then there appeared on chosen answer. the preferred and achievements. Echo to list O’Gara’s is Paul McCarthy, the basis of her crit ride Ivan Dineen has single-handedly that who acted Yet, for players A man who threaten Birchall Dickinson would turned tunes of the undoubtedly Each and every as back-up. who were groomed for outright victory, and nurtured timates his Munster scrum the forundereswas in the 1.51km one of these it contribution in a very short in the university, ers formed part around play- not to the game, clubs and schools period of time. Sunday afternoon time trial on only in this ally strangled of a chain that literBest country, but that the Irish them will always of Cork their anwide. the Londoners really imposed world hoor!’ described as a ‘cute girls submission. themselves on Cork into Munster rugby be ‘The Banks’. What has stood race. the Even the Bryan is unique for O’Gara apart reasons, as part played all the rest Birchall took many Ivan from manager, Murphy, the operations has been his we saw last by young the stage by Aidan O’Connell, dogged abilHowever, the ity to never nine Sunday. was Dineen, who didn’t seconds from accept second and conditioning one get a run strength team mate Doogan, vital. ence that really fundamental differbest. There is no with danger coach, Patrick Hanley, physio, doubt he has When rider separates Dickinson you it from the rest is the fact demons over consider that back in third also at deputised the years, but had his who analyses and Elliot Corcoran, that the team 9 seconds. Laura for the injured Hurley all the ups centres and the players’ through ances, has two Howlett, was 16th and Cooke and downs are supplied performDougie Naoise Sheridan also his capacity who holds ers predominantly with playThat performance 21st. the prestigious rise above all others to the greater play an integral part title of having gave Birchall will be the of Munster team. acy he leaves The contributionby two cities. second lead scored the a 14 legamount of tries Lastly there on Dickinson behind when most cides that is made the rugby going are the people for the All this morning’s he de- travel to call it quits. by speaks nurseries of Blacks, it concluding circuit into who all over Europe volumes Cork often goes unrewarded The smile stage. The next race to support the man’s capabilities. for the Kinsale team they love on closest to the quite frustrating. and at times can be when the final his face said it all so much. was Martha There is very Gill (Fred Whitton lead Travelling whistle was on Sunday. the Cork Limerick The Sky Sports sounded on little that can third, some 2:46 RT) a Heineken be said pundits constantly about the flamboyant off the Irish yellow in road praise the city All we can Cup match jersey. Zebo that hasn’t been be diplomatically say is thank day could of Limerick written to date. has done you. for all it It would be In the end, not described for the Heineken nightmare, wrong of me A product only did Birchall as a because of when, truth a special not to give of PBC defend her lead Cup, the 23 the hoards be told, only but she extended year-old seems and Cork Con, O’Callaghan, mention to Donncha that make the own Tommy for Cork’s by taking a solo pilgrimage to have it all. given his contribution Thomond Park. Kiernan, the Pace, bravery win after a strong it to tion may not to the jersey competi- antly and — most individual ride for so even exist. The money importand — belief. they spend The same can Having started long. disciplined team a really clever and and the effort these Warren Gatland be said for the game performance. players who academy of supporters the Cork Birchall and in the something Highfield with have he didn’t include would be silly if make is Doogan managed the players ning the famous the honour of donbrothers many his into the six-rider him when he to take very serhis Lions selection. iously. years ago the jersey. picks gentle breakaway with get After last Sunday Dickinson. giant has achieved Then there So the next when Rob ney’s men turned the game has all is James They then effectively time you are Pen- The Coughlan. to offer, even where is the most effective the competition asked worked her its head, the down to over, with Birchall home of Munster number eight on the country captaining role that was rugby? You going clear on in Lions. the by a mile. the Cork contingent played by might want own to take her It the stage and to reply by saying: in his squad like Coughlan may well now looks needs to be extend her Like Coughlan lead, and Doogan ‘They have go his career singled out two, the sitting on Cork and Limerick’. without getting through unappreciated for special praise. Dickinson to mate reward the ulti- work frustrate her donkey of an Irish You can chase of Of the 15 the flying yellow cap. travel the who started He has been jersey. The stage world and live there were Donthe game was run off in five from Cork, player for the Munster’s stand out in many tough conditions, the bench we ncha houses, but last three seasons and on the hailstones pelting with in had work ethic and gets you will only the end Denis Hurley, three more. Those final stage the riders. he showed Sunday was have one Simon Zebo, last through performances incredible. O’Gara, Peter home. yesteray and Ronan O’Mahony Another also a strong player who and James Coughlan all For some it ride by Cooke and Sheridan should be on is imthe plane down is Limerstarted, and this afternoon Archer, Donncha mense. ick but for Stephen is under with the chase group in the Lions others it O’Mahony. O’Callaghan will always There is Neenan Travel saw Ireland’s and be Cork. The fact that Talent Team also 2020 take second he can play another in the team classification in all part while Birchall of the Munster took the overall, The pride of stages three Simon Zebo. Cork, points and both the mountains and classifications.
RUGBY
49
David Corkery: Munster rugby is a tale of two cities: P49
Madrid are in the hunt for Blount BASKETBALL By JOHN COUGHLAN
YOUNG Corkman Jordan Blount, 16, is being courted by one of the biggest names in European basketball, Real Madrid. Marjon Plymouth Raiders Academy (for whom he now plays) have yet to get a firm offer from the Spanish giants but they have expressed an interest in offering the former Neptune star a two-year apprenticeship at their own academy. Top-flight Spanish rivals Estudiantes and Valladolid are also interested, but similarly, yet to table a concrete deal. Blount, who played in the recent Billy Kelly tournament in Cork at Easter with Neptune moved to Plymouth last summer to attend Raiders’ new basketball academy and continue his education in the city at Discovery College. He remains set to agree to attend Modesto Christian high school in California, the USA on a basketball scholarship for the next two academic years. But late interest from Spain, widely regarded to boast the second best league in the world behind the USA’s NBA, has made him pause. “We’ve left the interest in Spain in their court, but we’ve said to them they have to put an offer on the table,” Raiders Academy boss Jay Marriott said. “They can’t just unsettle Jordan.” The interest from Spain originates from Marriott’s old agent, who is Spanish and lives there. Marriott added. “We’ve always talked about Jordan going to America, but three ACB teams have expressed an interest to work with him for two years. “Spanish basketball development is the best in the world outside the USA, without a doubt. “It’s right on the money. “Spain have an identity with how they want to play the game, which is very different to ours, but I think there is no better.” Spain have won the basketball silver medal, behind gold medallists the USA, at the last two Olympic Games. Modesto Christian’s joint-head
Peter McNamara: Counihan will need to tweak his Rebels’ attack: P51
Noel Spillane: Cork City hit by defence crisis as Sligo Rovers await: P37
European basketball giants Real Madrid have expressed an interest in signing Cork player Jordan Blount from English side Marjon Plymouth Raiders (Blount pictured here back in Cork as an U14 Neptune player).
City’s U19 success boosts Cork U21 football hopes
THE CORK U21 footballers’ challenge in Thurles tonight has been made easier by Cork City FC. Two of Tipperary’s talented footballers that captured All-Ireland minor honours in 2011 are unavailable to the Premier at U21 level because of soccer commitments with Cork City. Colman Kennedy and Greg Henry recently won a league and cup double with Cork City’s U19 squad, and their preference for soccer over football ruled them out of manager David Power’s panel at the outset of the campaign. Tipp are underdogs with the bookies for the U21 Munster decider in Thurles at 7.30pm, but Cork boss John Cleary and his selectors are well aware of the test they face. Kennedy and Henry were members of the ’11 minor All-Ireland, which bridged a 73-year gap, with the former plundering the dramatic winning goal. They also played last season when Tipp’s minors retained their Munster title, beating Cork, and Kerry twice. Football in the Premier County has been on the rise for a while, with Cork only scraping home in the 2009 Munster decider courtesy of a late Noel Galvin goal, while Tipp defeated Kerry in the 2010 provincial final. In addition to Kennedy and Henry, Tipp are also without goalkeeper
U21 FOOTBALL
By ÉAMONN MURPHY
Cork City’s Greg Henry (left). Evan Comerford, reportedly due to soccer commitments as well. If the Rebels defeat Tipp tonight it will be the county’s seventh Munster crown since 2004, and Cork are second favourites after Kildare for the All-Ireland. If Cork win they will play either Donegal or Cavan in the All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday week in Tullamore at 3.45pm, with Kildare taking on Galway in the first semi at 2pm. Cork’s first minor outing of the year is on the same day, against Kerry in Páirc Uí Rinn at 7pm. ● See P53 for more.
Dennehy’s
Health & Fitness Former Neptune star being courted by Spanish giants coach is former Newcastle Eagles and Mersey Tigers guard Richard Midgley, who retired early from playing with chronic knee problems in 2009. He is still only 29 and studied at Modesto Christian himself from 1999-2001. Modesto Christian hope Blount will form one half of the most exciting backcourt in high school basketball in California next season. “Richard is very excited about Jordan. They are just waiting on paperwork from his old school in Ireland. “They need to know in April, so we should have an answer by the end of the month. “But It’s definitely worth thinking about Spain. “Personally, I’d go to Spain, because it could change Jordan’s life. But I have to stay impartial and just put the options on the table
for him. “I think Spain would be a steeper learning curve, because it would be a new style of basketball and he would be playing with guys a year older. “I think it would be good for him, humbling. Not that Jordan’s big-headed, but he knows he’s the leader of the Academy team here.” Blount is a hugely confident and precocious talent. At 6ft 5in, he is already bigger than most BBL shooting-guards, but he remains very skinny. “When Jordan steps on court you can see he’s ready,” said Raiders boss Gavin Love. Marriott said, when asked if being so far from home might affect Blount next season. “Jordan is mentally very strong. I don’t think he’s a player who’s going to break down because he hasn’t got his family around him.
Westpoint Business Park, Link Road, Ballincollig, Cork t: (021) 4289803 e: info@dennehys.ie www.dennehys.ie
Membership made easy!
€8.75 per week
Paid Monthly WOMEN! • Womens only section with direct access from the ladies changing room • Womens only classes incl. Bikini bootcamp and ‘Finesse’ (our ladies only class that runs mon-friday 9.30-10.00am) • Womens changing room is fitted with a sauna • Friendly male and Female trainers
PLUS! • No Joining Fee • Open 24 hours Mon-Friday, 8-8 Sat & 9-8 Sun • Over 140 classes per month • Sports massage therapist onsite with discounted rates for all club members. • Nutrition plans • Free Personalised programmes