Sport

On this Day in the Irish News: August 2 1997

Sonia O'Sullivan was competing at the World Championships in Athens in August 1997
Sonia O'Sullivan was competing at the World Championships in Athens in August 1997 Sonia O'Sullivan was competing at the World Championships in Athens in August 1997

Athletics The 1500m heats will give a good guide to O’Sullivan’s health, writes John Haughey who will be in Athens for the championships

SONIA O’Sullivan’s unexpected decision to tackle the 1500m means she will be one of the early competitors on day one of the World Championships in Athens. However, she will not have the distinction of being the first Irish hopeful in action this morning.

That falls to hammer thrower Roman Linscheid who will be involved in qualifying at 6am local time. But O’Sullivan’s state of health will be the big issue in the Irish camp today.

The first round heats of the 1500m are scheduled to begin at 7am and O’Sullivan will be joined in the event by Sinead Delahunty. With 42 competitors entered for the metric mile, including Russian Olympic Champion Svetland Masterkova, the indications are that the first four in each of the three heats plus the four fastest losers will qualify for Sunday’s semi-finals (6.35pm Irish time).

O’Sullivan at anything approaching her best, would comfortably accomplish this morning’s task. However, her outdoor performances in Paris and particularly over 1500m in Sheffield, prior to her enforced break six weeks ago, were deeply disappointing so today’s heats may prove far from a formality.

Another early exit on the scale of her 1500m horrors in Atlanta, would almost certainly mean that the Irish woman would opt out of defending her 5000m crown later in the championships.

Orla Bannon previews the Bank of Ireland Leinster semi-final replay featuring Meath v Kildare at Croke Park (2.30)

NIGEL Nestor has been brought in as a direct replacement for the suspended Graham Geraghty on the Meath team to face Kildare in the second Leinster semi-final replay at Croke Park tomorrow.

Nestor is back in the side having recovered from the thigh injury which kept him out of the starting fifteen for the first replay. He will be anxious to take full advantage of Geraghty’s absence.

Meath PRO Bernard Allen admitted yesterday that Geraghty’s ban was a severe blow to the Royals. “He’s a loss to us, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“He hasn’t been playing well but even so it takes a good man to mark him and keep an eye on him.”

By Martin McGoran

Gaelic Games: Cavan manager Martin McHugh has officially confirmed that he will not be in the running for the vacant Donegal manager’s job.

The news will come as a major boost to Breffni county as they continue the build-up to their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Kerry on August 24. Speculation had been rife that McHugh, who plays his club football for Kilcar in Donegal, would throw his hat into the ring for the job to manage his native county, following the resignation of PJ McGowan.

However, McHugh was last night quick to quash the specualtion. “While I appreciate Donegal’s interest in me it was never my intention to leave Cavan to manage any other team,” said McHugh.

“At present I am still considering whether to stay in football management in the short term and, if I were to remain, my first choice would be Cavan, if they wanted me to stay.

“I don’t intend to get involved with whoever takes charge of Donegal,” he added.

During his three-year term at the Breffni helm, McHugh has guided Cavan to two Ulster final appearances, losing to Tyrone in 1995, but beating Derry two weeks’ ago to clinch Cavan’s first Ulster title in 28 years.