Making The Irish News Sport headlines on Saturday March 30 1996
1 Around The NFL with Eamonn O'Hara
NFL quarter-finals
Cavan v Derry (holders): Old hands at dealing with pressure-cookers, the organisation, mental toughness and proven ability of very experienced champions carries the aces into this intriguing eliminator.
The gains Martin McHugh’s team have made over the past year will be thoroughly examined.
Their first-time back at Clones since the Ulster final defeat by Tyrone, this match provides a further yardstick to measure Cavan’s progress.
Derry’s quality of performance in taking apart Meath a few weeks ago appeared to signal their readiness to launch yet another sustained title charge. Seamus Downey and company to seize a semi-final place.
National Football League Top 10 Marksmen
46 points - Kevin O’Brien (Wicklow) 3-37 in eight matches;
45pts - Dessie Barry (Longford) 4-33 from eight games;
44pts - Ronan Carolan (Cavan) 6-26 in seven games;
43pts - Declan Smyth (Monaghan) 3-34 from eight matches;
41pts - Colin Kelly (Louth) 1-38 in seven matches;
39pts - Dara O’Cinneide (Kerry) 3-30 from seven games;
38pts - Colin Corkery (Cork) 1-35 in six matches;
35pts - Gerard Cavlan (Tyrone) 2-27 from seven games;
33pts - David Reynolds (Offaly) 1-30 in seven matches;
29pts - Trevor Giles (Meath) 1-26 from seven games.
2: Gazza to turn up heat on Celtic
Scottish Soccer: England’s Paul Gascoigne is out to complete his top 10 collection today as Rangers seek to turn up the title heat on Celtic.Victory at Raith would put Walter Smith’s side eight points clear of their arch rivals who must wait 48 hours until Monday night before hosting Aberdeen at Parkhead.And for Gascoigne, the Kirkcaldy fixture represents the opportunity for him to finish off a remarkable scoring streak in his first season at Ibrox.The former Lazio star has netted against every Bell’s Scottish League premier division club except the Stark’s Park outfit.He achieved his 15-goal target for the season in last week’s 3-2 win over Falkirk with his seventh strike in eight games.There is an added incentive for Gascoigne and company tomorrow as Rangers seek one more goal to reach 100 in competitive matches this season.Boss Smith, who today signed goalkeeper Theo Snelders from Aberdeen as cover for Andy Goram, has set his side a six-match winning target to claim their eighth successive championship.“Our aim is to win all our last six games – that is the target set for everyone here,” said Smith.“Raith made it hard for us on our last visit to Kirkcaldy where we drew 2-2 and I feel they are close to achieving what they set out to do this season, which was to stay up.”ON THIS DAY
1895: The Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race became the first regular British sporting event to be captured on film.
1968: 122nd Grand National: Brian Fletcher aboard Red Alligator lifts the laurels.
1991: Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall made his 500th appearance in senior football, playing for Everton against Aston Villa.
1993: Manchester United's French striker Eric Cantona was fined £1,000 for spitting at supporters of his former club Leeds.
1996: Rough Quest, ridden by Mick Fitzgerald, became the first favourite for 14 years to win the Grand National.
2001: Glenn Hoddle was confirmed as Tottenham manager after agreeing a five-year contract to return to the club where he was a player.
2004: A threat to Greg Rusedski's career was lifted after tennis chiefs decided not to appeal against a decision to clear the British player of taking nandrolone.
2010: World 800 metres champion Caster Semenya announced she would return to athletics in the 2010 season, having not raced since her Berlin triumph in 2009 following gender tests.
2011: Michael Clarke was appointed as Australia's new captain for Test matches and one-day internationals, succeeding Ricky Ponting.
2012: Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov announced he had been diagnosed with acute leukaemia.
2013: Rangers drew 0-0 at Montrose to claim the Scottish Third Division title at the first attempt after being demoted to the fourth tier.
2014: Mickey Harte’s Tyrone kept themselves on course for a National Football league semi-final place by grabbing a dramatic draw against Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn, late points coming from Sean Cavanagh, Kyle Coney and Ronan O’Neill to level the sides. Scorers as follows:
Cork: B Hurley (0-5), C O'Neill (1-0), P Kerrigan (1-0), J Hayes (0-2), J O'Rourke (0-2), Barry O'Driscoll (0-1), C O'Driscoll (0-1), M Shields (0-1).
Tyrone: K Coney (0-9), D McCurry (0-4), N Morgan (0-2), C McAliskey (0-1), M Penrose (0-1), P Harte (0-1), R O'Neill (0-1), S Cavanagh (0-1).
BIRTHDAYS
Norman Gifford (cricket) - former England slow left-arm bowler, born 1940.
Eddie Jordan (motor sport) - former team owner of Jordan Grand Prix, born 1948.
Mike Thackwell (motor sport) - former grand prix driver from New Zealand, born 1961.
Karel Poborsky (soccer) - former Manchester United and Czech Republic midfielder, born 1972.
Jan Koller (soccer) - former Czech Republic striker, born 1973.
Chris Paterson (rugby union) - Scotland's record cap (109) and points (809) holder, born 1978.
Philippe Mexes (soccer) - AC Milan's French defender, born 1982.
Jeremie Aliadiere (soccer) - Umm Salal's former Middlesbrough and Arsenal striker, born 1983.
Samantha Stosur (tennis) - 2011 US Open champion from Australia, born 1984.
Mario Ancic (tennis) - retired former world number seven from Croatia, born 1984.
Sergio Ramos (soccer) - Real Madrid and Spain defender, born 1986.
Ger Aylward (GAA hurler): right corner-forward for the Kilkenny senior team, suffered facing a battle to save his season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in January, born 1992.
QUICK QUIZ BLITZ
1. Which former Football League club did Steve Staunton briefly manage between 2009-10?
2. Where will Anthony Joshua fight Charles Martin in their IBF world heavyweight title on April 9?
3. Which three members of Team GB won gold on 'Super Saturday' in the 2012 London Olympics?
4. Name the county ground of Down GAA.
5. Which is the only grand slam in which Andy Murray has not made it to the final?
SPORT ON TV
Today
GAA: Allianz Leagues Extra: A round-up of all of the week's action from the National Football League and National Hurling League - Setanta Ireland 2100
SOCCER: League One, Southend v Sheffield United - Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 5 1930; UEFA Women's Champions League, Frankfurt v FC Rosengard - Eurosport 2 1645.
CRICKET: ICC World T20 semi-final, teams New Zealand v England - Sky Sports 2 1400; Women's ICC World T20 semi-final, Australia v England - Sky Sports 2 1000.
SNOOKER: China Open - Eurosport 1 0730 and 1230.
TENNIS: ATP, Miami Open - Sky Sports 3 1800 and 0200 (Thurs); WTA, Miami Open - BT Sport 1 1800 and 0000 (Thurs).
CYCLING: The Three Days of De Panne - Eurosport 2 1345.
Tomorrow
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.
QUICK QUIZ BLITZ answers: 1. Darlington. 2. O2 Arena, London. 3. Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford. 4. Pairc Esler. 5. French Open.
