Sport

On This Day - Mar 31 1985: Eamonn McEneaney fires Monaghan into National League final

Former Monaghan manager Eamon McEneaney and officials leave the pitch after the National Football League clash against Derry in March 2012 at Celtic Park
Former Monaghan manager Eamon McEneaney and officials leave the pitch after the National Football League clash against Derry in March 2012 at Celtic Park Former Monaghan manager Eamon McEneaney and officials leave the pitch after the National Football League clash against Derry in March 2012 at Celtic Park

ON THIS DAY

1878: Jack Johnson, the first black man to win the world heavyweight boxing title, was born. Because of discrimination in the United States, he had to travel to Australia for his successful title challenge against Tommy Burns.

1889: The world featherweight title fight between Ike Weir and Frank Murphy was stopped by police after 80 rounds. It is the longest world title contest under Queensberry Rules.

1928: Scotland's 'Wembley Wizards' inflicted a 5-1 defeat on England. Alex Jackson scored a hat-trick.

1980: The legendary Jesse Owens, the athlete who once set four world records in one day and won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, died.

1985: Monaghan advanced to the final of the GAA National Football League defeating Tyrone on a 1-8 to 0-8 replay scoreline. Monaghan went on to win the NFL title, getting the better of pre-match favourites Armagh a week later, 1-11 to 0-9, future county manager Eamonn McEneaney netting the Monaghan goal from a penalty in the first half.

1995: Sunderland escaped a points deduction when they were fined £2,500 by the Football League for playing unregistered player Dominic Matteo in a First Division match at Barnsley.

2001: Former Arsenal and England midfielder David Rocastle died at the age of 33 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

2003: Peter Ridsdale resigned as chairman of debt-ridden Leeds United PLC after five years and was succeeded by Professor John McKenzie.

2010: Arsenal came from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners went on to lose the second leg 4-1, with Lionel Messi scoring all four of Barca's goals.

2011: Sale prop Karena Wihongi was handed a four-month ban after testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine.

2013: Paolo Di Canio was appointed Sunderland head coach on a two-and-a-half-year deal. He was later sacked after just 13 games in charge.

2014: England lost to Holland by 45 runs in their final World Twenty20 match in Chittagong.

BIRTHDAYS

Paddy 'Rocky' Dwyer (boxing): Irish amateur boxer who made it through to the semi-finals of the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, A native of Thurles in county Tipperary, Dwyer boxed for the Irish Army. born 1894.

John Arthur "Jack" Johnson, (boxing): ring name: `The Galveston Giant', Johnson was an American boxer, who became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915), born 1878, died June 10, 1946.

Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (soccer) - a former German footballer, strong big defender in the 1966 World Cup final against England, which Germany lost 3-2 in extra time. Schnellinger was nicknamed the "Volkswagen" for his continuity of performance, both in quantity and in quality, born 1939

Roger Black (athletics) - former 400 metres star and Olympic silver medallist, born 1966.

Martin Atkinson (soccer) - Professional referee, member of the Select Group since 2005, FIFA listed since 2006, born 1971.

Paul Grayson (cricket) - Essex head coach who played two one-day internationals for England, born 1971.

Stephen Clemence (soccer) - former Tottenham, Birmingham and Leicester midfielder, son of former England goalkeeper Ray, born 1978.

Tal Ben Haim (soccer) - Israel and Maccabi Tel Aviv defender, formerly with Chelsea, Manchester City, Portsmouth and Charlton, born 1982.

Hashim Amla (cricket) - South Africa's prolific batsman, born 1983.

Paddy McCarthy (soccer) - Republic of Ireland and Crystal Palace defender, born in Dublin, 1983.

Eddie Johnson (soccer) - Retired United States and DC United striker, formerly with Fulham, born 1984.

QUICK QUIZ BLITZ

1.Grigor Dimitrov and Dimitar Berbatov are leading sportsmen from which country?

2. Who do Antrim senior footballers face in the National League Division 4 final next month?

3. Who was the last English player to win the Premier League's golden boot?

4. In which year did Ian Woosnam win the US Masters?

5. Who are the current leaders of the Aviva Premiership?

(See answers at bottom)

SPORT ON TV

Today

GAA: Dublin v Donegal. A chance to see the National Football League Division One fixture at Croke Park - Setanta Ireland 1600; Tyrone v Armagh. Action from the National Football League Division Two encounter from Healy Park - Setanta Ireland 2030.

CRICKET: ICC World T20 semi-final, West Indies v India - Sky Sports 2 1400; Women's ICC World T20 semi-final, New Zealand v West Indies - Sky Sports 2 0900.

MOTOR RACING: Formula One, Bahrain Grand Prix drivers' press conference - Sky Sports F1 1300.

GOLF: PGA Tour, Houston Open - Sky Sports 4 2000; LPGA Tour, ANA Inspiration - Sky Sports 4 1800.

DARTS: Premier League Darts - Sky Sports 1 1900.

TENNIS: ATP, Miami Open - Sky Sports 3 1800 and 0200 (Fri); WTA, Miami Open - BT Sport 2 1800.

SNOOKER: China Open - Eurosport 1 0730 and 1230.

CYCLING: The Three Days of De Panne - Eurosport 2 0830 and 1345.

BASKETBALL: NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder v Los Angeles Clippers - BT Sport 1 0230.

Tomorrow 

GAA: Seo Spoirt: Dara O Cinneide and guests preview the seventh round of National Football League fixtures, as well as the quarter-final games in the National Hurling League  - TG4 2145.

SOCCER: SSE Airtricity League: Dundalk v Derry City (Kick-off 7.45pm). Peter Collins is joined by John McDonnell and Stuart Byrne to present coverage of the top-flight clash from Oriel Park. With commentary by Ger Canning and Brian Kerr - RTE2 1930; Championship, QPR v Middlesbrough - Sky Sports 1 1900; Ligue 1, Monaco v Bordeaux - Setanta Sports Ireland 1915; Primera Division, Rayo Vallecano v Getafe - Sky Sports 3 1925; Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen v Wolfsburg - BT Sport/ESPN 1930; MLS, New England Revolution v New York Red Bulls - Sky Sports 1 2350; A-League, Western Sydney Wanderers v Central Coast Mariners - BT Sport 1 0930

RUGBY LEAGUE: Rugbai Beo: Ulster v Connacht (Kick-off 7.35pm). Coverage of the match from the 19th round of PRO12 fixtures, which takes place at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast. When the teams met in the reverse fixture at the Sportsground on St Syephen's Day, Ulster claimed a 10-3 victory, handing Connacht their first home defeat of the season - TG4 1905 and BBC 2 19.30.

Super League, Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves - Sky Sports 2 1930.

RUGBY UNION: Premiership, Bath v Saracens - BT Sport 1 1900; PRO12, Newport Gwent Dragons v Ospreys - BBC Two Wales 1900, Ulster v Connacht - BBC Two Northern Ireland 1930; Super Rugby, Highlanders v Western Force - Sky Sports 1 1930, Lions v Crusaders - Sky Sports 5 1755; Top 14, Montpellier v Brive - Sky Sports 5 1945.

MOTOR RACING: Formula One, Bahrain Grand Prix practice - Sky Sports F1 1145 and 1545, Channel 4 and Setanta Sports Ireland 1155 and 1555.

MOTORCYCLING: MotoGP, Argentinian Grand Prix FP1 and FP2 - BT Sport 2 1300 and 1700.

GOLF: PGA Tour, Houston Open - Sky Sports 4 2000; LPGA Tour, ANA Inspiration - Sky Sports 4 1800.

TENNIS: ATP, Miami Open - Sky Sports 3 1730 and 0000 (Sat).

SNOOKER: China Open - Eurosport 1 0730 and 1230.

BASKETBALL: NBA, Atlanta Hawks v Cleveland Cavaliers - BT Sport 1 0100 (Sat), Golden State Warriors v Boston Celtics - BT Sport 1 0330 (Sat).

QUICK QUIZ BLITZ answers: 1. Bulgaria. 2. Louth 3. Kevin Phillips (1999-00) 4. 1991 5. Saracens.