D Friday, January 29, 2010 SPORT 21 soccer AFrIcA cUP oF NATIoNs seMI-FINALs Ghana ........ 1 Nigeria........0 Gyan 21 Algeria........ 0 Egypt..........4 Abd Rabou 39pen Zidan 65 Abdelshafy 81 Gedo 90. goLF CommErCiAl BANk QAtAr mAstErs (Doha, Qatar) First round scores (Gbr & irl unless stated, par 72): 67 Oliver Wilson, Bradley Dredge 68 Robert Karlsson (Swe), Alexander Noren (Swe), Marcel Siem (Ger), Lee Westwood 69 Brett Rumford (Aus) 70 Peter Hanson (Swe), Richie Ramsay, Ross Fisher, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Niclas Fasth (Swe), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Camilo Villegas (Col) others: 71 Gareth Maybin, Shane Lowry 72 Peter Lawrie 73 Graeme McDowell 74 Michael Hoey 75 Damien McGrane, Henrik Stenson (Swe), Ian Poulter. TeNNIs AustrAliAN opEN (Melbourne) mens singles semi-final: (5) Andy Murray (Gbr) bt (14) Marin Cilic (Cro) 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 Womens singles semi-final: Justine Henin (Bel) bt Jie Zheng (Chn) 6-1 6-0 , (1) Serena Williams (USA) bt (16) Na Li (Chn) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-1) tomorroW soCCEr (3.00 unless stated) Africa Cup of Nations 3rd/4th place play-off Loser SF1 v Loser SF2.............. 4.00 Barclays premier league Birmingham v Tottenham ................. Burnley v Chelsea.................5.30 TV ESPN Fulham v Aston Villa......................... Hull v Wolverhampton ...................... Liverpool v Bolton ............................ West Ham v Blackburn..................... Wigan v Everton ............................... Coca-Cola Championship Cardiff v Doncaster........................... Coventry v Blackpool ....................... Crystal Palace v Peterborough......... Derby v Nottm Forest................ 1.00 Leicester v Newcastle ..........5.20 TV Sky Sports 1 Middlesbrough v Bristol City............ Preston v Ipswich............................. QPR v Scunthorpe............................ Reading v Barnsley .......................... Sheff Wed v Plymouth...................... Watford v Swansea .......................... West Brom v Sheff Utd..................... league one Brighton v Millwall ............................ Bristol Rovers v Wycombe............... Carlisle v Leyton Orient .................... Charlton v Tranmere ......................... Gillingham v Walsall.......................... Leeds v Colchester........................... Milton Keynes Dons v Exeter ........... Norwich v Hartlepool........................ Oldham v Brentford.......................... Southampton v Stockport................ Southend v Swindon ........................ Yeovil v Huddersfield........................ league two Aldershot v Grimsby......................... Cheltenham v Darlington.................. Crewe v Bournemouth ..................... Lincoln City v Dag & Red.................. Morecambe v Chesterfield ............... Northampton v Burton Albion .......... Notts County v Barnet...................... Port Vale v Hereford ......................... Rotherham v Macclesfield................ Shrewsbury v Accrington Stanley .... Torquay v Bradford........................... Clydesdale Bank premier league Aberdeen v Motherwell..................... Hamilton v Celtic ................12.30 TV ESPN Hibernian v St Mirren........................ Kilmarnock v Dundee Utd ................ Rangers v Falkirk.............................. St Johnstone v Hearts...................... HorsE rACiNG Doncaster, Cheltenham, Lingield, Uttoxeter, Fairyhouse ruGBY uNioN A i B league Division one - section A: St Marys College v Shannon (2.30) section B:Ballymena v UCC (2.30), Galwegians v Ballynahinch (2.30), Young Munster v Dungannon (2.30) suNDAY soCCEr Africa Cup of Nations Final Ghana v Egypt......................4.00 TV BBC2 Barclays premier league Arsenal v Man Utd................4.00 TV Sky Sports 1 Man City v Portsmouth.........1.30 TV Sky Sports 1 HorsE rACiNG Hereford, Kempton, Limerick, Punchestown ruGBY uNioN A i B league Division one - section A: Dolphin v Clontarf (2.30) section B: Old Belvedere v Buccaneers (2.30) RESULTS FIXTURES Eamon FEnnEll looks set to start Dublins glamour national league opener against Kerry on Sunday week. according to rarely-imposed Dublin by-laws Fennell would become ineligi- ble to play for his county if he is not an active club member. The talented midfielder has vowed nev- er again to play for oTooles, who are blocking his transfer request to St Vin- cents, that rule should thus kick in soon. But in a move that could bring Gilroy into conflict with county chiefs the man- ager has indicated he will continue to play Fennell. The strapping 25-year old impressed with two points against meath in their thrilling oByrne Cup quarter-final re- play defeat on Wednesday night. asked about Fennells possible ineli- gibility for Dublin, Gilroy said: Thats speculation, Im not going to get into that business. But in a statement that augurs well for the player, Gilroy added: Hes there, hes available to me, Im playing him. It doesnt seem to be causing him prob- lems given his last two performances. You just get on with it. Hes there, hes playing well, hes training so thats it. Fennells case was helped little by Gaa president Christy Cooney yesterday. on the one hand Cooney offered the player hope by admitting: nobody Fennell still in Dubs plan despite row wants to see a player on the line. But he stated that there is, a strong tradition as well that when you come through a process from a very young age you gen- erally dont leave your home club un- less you move location of house or fam- ily situation, which does not apply to Fennell. meanwhile, on the back of meaths character laden 1-10 to 1-9 win in navan, Gilroy says they must be one of the fa- vourites for leinster. He said: meath went further in the Championship last year than us so theyll probably be one of the favourites for leinster I think. The Blues boss also revealed he will cut his 40-man panel down to 30 ahead of the Kerry game in Killarney. playing on: Dubs boss pat Gilroy is continuing to select Fennell Picture: Sportsfile By Paul Keane GAA Quirke doubts effect of Respect Kerrys Micheal Quirke believes players will not take a blind bit of notice of the GAAs new Fair Play league table. The GAA yesterday launched its respect campaign, designed to foster a new approach of fair play, mutual respect and goodwill at all levels of the Association. Programmes will run at underage level to increase awareness of fair play and sportsmanship. At inter-county level a Fair Play Index, will go on trial during the National League. Points will be given for yellow and red cards; one for a yellow, two for a red and more depending on the category of red card offence. The two football and hurling teams that tally least points will receive 10,000 towards their development fund. But giant Kerry midfielder Quirke said: I dont think guys are going to be too conscious of it. I cant see a fella thinking I wont pick up a yellow card here because Im going to cost the county board ten grand. TENNIS Murray hits new heights to reach final ANdy MurrAy believes he is in the form of his life after he booked his place in the final of the Australian Open with a four-set win over Marin Cilic. The fifth-seeded scot, inspired by a match-turning flash of inspiration in the second set, reached his second major final with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory in a shade over three hours on rod Laver Arena. It was the first time Murray had lost a set at the tournament and after breezing through the draw and knocking defending champion rafael Nadal out in the previous round, the scot admits he is in rare touch. This is the best Ive played at a slam, he said. Obviously the match against rafa was great. Tonight, the majority of the match was great as well. I feel good. Physically Im going to be fresh for the final. Murray will play the winner of tomorrow nights semi-final between world number one roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in sunday nights final. one step away: Justine Henin has reached the Australian open final in just her second event since returning to the sport Serena stands in way of Henin fairytale WORLD No.1 Serena Williams will need to end the fairytale return of Justine Henin if she is to successfully defend her Australian Open title after they reached the final with contrasting victories yesterday. Williams, who is bidding to win her fifth title in Melbourne, needed two tie-break sets to overcome the plucky challenge of Li Na 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-1), while Henin spent less than an hour on court as she breezed through her semi-final against the unseeded Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-0. The 27-year-old Belgians run has reprised memories of her countrywoman Kim Clijsters own remarkable return at the US Open last year and Henin said: Ive been playing a lot of tough matches in the last two weeks so that was the best to recover today. I knew it could be a dangerous match. Especially in my situation, I was very excited about the possibility of being in another grand-slam final. Williams and Henin have never met in a grand-slam final despite sharing 18 titles between them. American Williams said: I definitely think of her as a rival. I think we bring out the best game in each other. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html