Short putts

Athlone starting at 1.57 pm.

Tomorrow (Friday), action is under lights on the all-weather at Dundalk, first race at 5.30 pm and over the jumps at Wexford, away at 4.40 pm.

On Saturday, racing is on the level at Bellewstown first race at 1.20 pm.

On Sunday, there are two meetings in Ireland with National fare at Downpatrick featuring the Ulster Grand National starting at 1.40 pm and on the flat at Leopardstown, with three Group races, away at 2 pm.

The Westmeath Foxhounds are holding a point-to-point meeting at Castletowngeoghan near Mullingar, first race 2 pm.

On Saturday, ITV racing is covering seven races, all on the flat, with four from Doncaster including the English Lincolnshire, and three from Kempton.

Review of the week

Broome, the Aidan O’Brien-trained 7-YO won last weekend’s Dubai Gold Cup, a Group 2 race, in Meydan under Ryan Moore. The Ballydoyle inmate set a new

by Tom Red

track record in just getting up on the line to beat the Charlie Appleby trained favourite Siskany by a neck. The Ascot Gold Cup in June is his next likely target. The present ante post favourite, Kyprios, also trained by O’Brien has met with a set back and is unlikely to run.

The first big race of the flat season, the Irish Lincolnshire, at the Curragh last Saturday was won by the English trained Lattam trained by William Haggas and ridden by Chris Hayes who got up on the line to beat the Ado McGuinness trained pair Saltonstall and Casanova by a short head and a neck. McGuinness also trained the 5th home No More Porter, two lengths further back.

Racing News

Rásaí BEO on TG4, have announced that they will have live coverage from the race meetings at Fairyhouse on Easter Saturday, April 8th, along with races from Cork, the Curragh on Bank Holiday Monday, May 1st with coverage from Down Royal and from Ballinrobe on Monday, May 29th.

Unwelcome news for Gordon Elliott as Sam Ewing will probably miss the remainder of the season after breaking his arm in a fall off Poppy Rose at Musselburgh on Friday. Elliott’s yard is at present without Jack Kennedy, Jordan Gainford and Davy Russell who

SPORTS DESK With Dan Dooner

Convent in hunt for All-Ireland glory!

Angela Veldon was the winner of the Women’s competition on Sunday last with a score of 37 points. Catherine Fitzgerald (36) was runner-up and Key Delaney (35) finished third.

Last Tuesday’s (21st) 15-hole competition was won by Ann Geoghegan (31 points) with Maeve Davis second and Anne EganFarrell third. Tuesday’s 9-hole competition was won by Jeane McGowan (17 points) while the 97 Club went to Imelda Sheeran (24).

Carrick

Albert Hogg (38 points) won last Thursday’s Seniors’ competition in Carrick. Other results: Cat 1 Leo Kavanagh (32); Cat 2 Michael Delorey (35); Cat 3 Brendan Lynch (37); Front 9: Dermot Monaghan (19 points); Back 9: Liam O’Malley (18 points).

Carrick Golf Club has launched its ‘Masters Challenge’ for 2023. Sponsorship cards can be collected at the office or you can play online at http://carrickgolf.ie/masters-2023/.

Roscommon

Congratulations to Men’s 18-hole winner Lorcan Dowd who topped the leaderboard with 41 points last week. Other results: Cat 1: Tommy Grehan (34); Cat 2: Noel Sharkey (41); Cat 3 Michael Healy (35); Gross: Mario Costello (34).

The Junior Drive-In takes place this Saturday (April 1st) at 3 pm. The club wishes Boys’ captain Elliot Grealy and Girls’ captain Leah O’Connor the very best of luck for Saturday and the year ahead. Junior Conveyors this year are Anne Quirke and Aidan Mulvihill.

Finally for this week, the Open Friday competitions return on Friday week (April 7th). Book your time slot on the BRS system.

The very best of luck to the Convent of Mercy, Roscommon who will be hoping for yet more All-Ireland glory this afternoon when they take on Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee.

The Convent previously won double All-Ireland honours in both Gaelic football and soccer back in 2009 and so are no strangers to the big stage.

The team is led by coach David O’Reilly and boasts Roscommon forward Aisling Hanly among its star players. The Kilbride woman and team captain was every bit the star when interviewed by RTÉ recently.

The All-Ireland Senior ‘B’ Football Post-Primary Schools Final throws in at 12.30 pm in Nenagh, Co Tipperary this afternoon (Thursday). Report and reaction in next week’s People Sport.

Handball tournament in Kilglass

Kilglass Handball Club hosted a successful tournament for underage players on Thursday last with 41 taking part.

Aoibhinn Tully won the U-10 Girls’ cup and Saoirse Burke won the plate, while Jack Hughes was the U-10 Boys champion. Tara Hill emerged victorious in the Girls U-12s and Amy Reynolds took home the plate while Milo Judge was the boys’ champion. In the Elite Group, Maxime Gernier cam out on top in the cup and Patrick Grehan prevailed in the plate.

Elsewhere, Sean Carthy won his Connacht Juvenile ‘B’ semi-final in three games and Patrick Farrell and James Dowling won through in the U-11 doubles semi-final. Olivia Hussey’s opponent withdrew. Best of luck to all in the finals this weekend.

Coman’s

make a splash!

Congratulations to Coman’s swimmer, Jun Hwang, and his Connacht teammates on their outstanding performances at the All-Ireland Senior Schools Interprovincial. Jun set personal bests in all his events!

Well done also to Leon Konieczka, Sean Keane, Ava Kiernan, Ciara Lally and Áine Doherty, who all impressed at the All-Ireland Minor Schools Gala in Dublin. There were a number of personal bests as well as final appearances for Leon, Ava,

Ciara (2) and Áine.

Local athletes set for All-Ireland Indoors!

All roads lead to TUS Athlone for a number of local athletes as representatives from clubs such as Suck Valley, Reeside, and Lough Ree prepare to take part in the National Indoor Athletics Championships.

Suck Valley AC has five athletes taking part.

Hollie Kilroe will be aiming to retain her titles in both the 400m and 800m at U-18 and she’s joined on the track by Amy Rogers, who’s running in the U-15 60m sprint, and Muireann Mulry in the U-13 600m. Roisin Brennan (U-15) and Dylan Hoban (U-14), meanwhile, will be competing in the high jump. Reeside AC will also be sending two athletes this weekend. Colm Fitzgerald (U-15), who has already won a number of Connacht medals, will be hoping to improve on his fourth-place finish in stood himself down on the final day of Cheltenham, Ewing makes it four of the Cullentra regular riders on the sideline. Claimer Corey McGivern has two rides and Denis O’Regan one for the yard at Navan today. last year’s 60m events. Colm’s teammate, Emily Clyne, is making her third trip to compete in an All-Ireland high jump final (U-14s). Emily has Connacht medals in both U-12 hurdles and U-13 high jump.

Best of luck also to Andrew Nolan of Lough Ree AC. Andrew will be competing in the U-12 shot put event this Saturday. He recently won gold with a 7.72m throw at the Connacht Indoor Championships.

Cavaliers on the double!

Both the women’s and the men’s Castlerea Cavaliers basketball teams finished on a high last weekend, winning their respective Shield finals. The women’s team easily defeated Drumlish with Sarah Tyrrell the MVP with 30 points.

The men defeated Longford Phoenix on Saturday by 89-52 and Mohill by 56-55 in front of a huge home support with Joseph Henry claiming the MVP award.