Waterford won't ring changes for Cork tie

by John Murphy
ALTHOUGH corner forwards Dave Bennett and Miceal White were substituted during the second half of the game against Limerick at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, both have been named in the Decies starting line-up for next Sunday's Munster senior hurling championship semi-final against Cork at Semple Stadium.
In fact team manager Gerald McCarthy and his co-selectors have given a vote of confidence to the side that began that first round tie against the Shannon-siders.
That means there is still no place in the starting line-up for one of the heroes of last year's exciting league and championship campaigns, Anthony Kirwan.
But he is among the substitutes and will almost certainly see action in Sunday's semi-final.
Not surprisingly Paul Flynn is again named in the full forward berth where he wreaked havoc against the Limerick inside line of defence.
With Bennett and White flanking him it is a full forward line of undoubted potential, but much more will be expected of the corner men this time around.
Billy O'Sullivan has again been given the onerous task of leading the attack on the '40', where he will be conceding height and weight to the commanding Brian Corcoran. However, the Waterford selectors will be hoping that O'Sullivan's fiery, first-time style of play will upset the Erins Own clubman and create the scoring opportunities for his wingmen Dan Shanahan and Ken McGrath.
Tony Browne and Fergal Hartley form the midfield partnership that created no selector dilemma, and the good news is that Browne has completely recovered from the ankle injury that threatened his participation in the Limerick game until hours before the throw-in.
The 1998 hurler of the year had further treatment on the ankle last week and took no serious part in any of the training sessions. However all that will change this week and Browne says he is "rarin' to go".
Brian Greene, who picked up a brace of yellow cards that resulted in his dismissal 12 minutes into the second half of the Limerick game, is restored to his customary left half back in a defence that, like midfield, all but picked itself.
Stephen Frampton again holds down the pivotal sector in a line completed by Peter Queally.
The Youghal-based garda, who is playing his club hurling in Cork with Sarsfields, has enjoyed a new lease of life since reverting from midfield to wing back where he turned in arguably his finest display in a county jersey against Limerick.
The full line of Tom Feeney, Seán Cullinane, and skipper Brian Flannery will front goalkeeper Brendan Landers.
Against Limerick the trio showed an element of nervousness at stages before coming to grips with things. They will need to be on full alert from the word go on Sunday to prevent Joe Deane from causing any serious problems.
Gerald McCarthy says the preparation for Sunday has been going well.
"The return to full fitness of Tony (Browne) is a massive lift, and every player is really looking forward to the game," the Waterford supremo said.
McCarthy said Cork would be "formidable foes", all the more so with a Munster final place at stake.
"Like last Sunday's classic however, this second semi-final has the makings of another marvellous confrontation."
Meanwhile the Waterford team to play Cork in the intermediate championship semi-final on Sunday shows positional and personal changes from the side that narrowly defeated All-Ireland champions, Limerick, in the first round.
The goalkeeping, defence, and midfield sectors remain unaltered, but in attack the Passage duo of Barry Walsh and Anthony Fitzgerald replaces Paul Power and Noel Dalton. They are named at right full and full forward respectively.
Brian Henley moves from centre to right half, with Ardmore's Seamas Prendergast going from full to centre forward. Liam O'Connor and Tony Carroll, who have been added to the list of substitutes, have both played for the county at senior level.
Right full back Niall O'Donnell is a native of Fermoy and won an All-Ireland minor hurling medal with his native Cork nine years ago.
He will be playing his club hurling in the Decies this year with Ballygunner.
WATERFORD SH: B. Landers; T. Feeney. S. Cullinane. B. Flannery; P. Queally. S. Frampton. B. Greene; T. Browne. F. Hartley; D. Shanahan. B. O'Sullivan. K. McGrath; M. White. P. Flynn. D. Bennett; subs; S. Brenner, J, O'Connor, G. Harris, P. Walsh, T. Fives, A. Kirwan, B. Browne, A. Lannon, M. Molumphy, S. Cunningham.
WATERFORD IH: R. Barry (Passage); N. O'Donnell (Ballygunner). O. Dunphy (De La Salle). R. O'Sullivan (Ballygunner); G. Breen (Abbeyside). V. O'Shea (Clonea). E. O'Sullivan (Fourmilewater); D. Casey (Shamrocks). C. Fanning (Roanmore); B. Henley (Tallow). S. Prendergast (Ardmore). P. Prendergast (Lismore); B. Walsh (Passasge East). A. Fitzgerald (do), B. Hannon (Ballyduff); Subs; E. Wall (Fourmilewater), G. Mackey (Roanmore), G. O'shea (St. Mollerans), A. Kirwan (Portlaw), M. Mackey (Roanmore), L. O'Connor (James Stephens, Kilkenny), T. Carroll (Ballygunner).

Cork selectors ponder new-look midfield line-up

by Jim O'Sullivan
THERE is the prospect of Cork parading a new midfield partnership for their Munster hurling semi-finals against Waterford in Thurles on Sunday.
Combined with the half-forward line, it's the area that has caused the management most headaches over the last two seasons. Overall, Jimmy Barry-Murphy and his co-selectors are unlikely to experience too much difficulty in settling on their line-up. The defence will more or less pick itself and, on the basis Fergal McCormack will be named at centre-forward, only two places seem in doubt once Seanie McGrath, Joe Deane and Alan Browne slot in.
Donal O´g Cusack will make his championship debut, taking over from veteran goalkeeper Ger Cunningham. One positional change is imminent in the full-back line, with Diarmuid O'Sullivan operating at the edge of the square and John Browne filling the corner position. Fergal Ryan is on the other side.
With Brian Corcoran in the centre and Séan O´g O´ hAilpín on the left, the right half-back berth is up for grabs. Mark Landers, the player in possession, had a hamstring problem but is reported to have proved his fitness in a practice game in Thurles on Saturday. Also in the running is Johnny Sheahan, from St Catherine's, and possibly Under-21 star Wayne Sherlock.
The main speculation has concerned midfield. Pat Ryan would normally be regarded as an automatic choice but there are question marks about his form.
Mick Daly, who played there last year with Ryan, has only recently returned from injury and Derek Barrett has missed two weeks' training through injury.
Timmy McCarthy is believed to have done enough recently to earn one of the positions. Normally in the half-forward line, he lined out at midfield in last year's county final with Imokilly.
In the event of Ryan missing out, the other position could go to Midleton's Mickey O'Connell.
The attack may feature 1996 minors Neil Ronan (Ballyhea) and Ben O'Connor (Newtownshandrum) at wing and corner-forward with Kevin Murray also in contention.

O'Dywer could miss Offaly clash

by Jim O'Sullivan
KARL O'DWYER could be an injury doubt for champions Kildare in the first defence of their Leinster football title against Offaly in Croke Park on Sunday.
The son of trainer Mick has not trained for the last four weeks because of a hamstring problem. Niall Buckley and Padraig Graven have also been nursing injuries, while Willie McCreery has only recently re-joined the panel.
On the credit side, Dermot Earley has made a full recovery from an ankle injury. That happened when he was playing with the Defence Forces team in the second game with New York in Gaelic Park in mid-April.
The game will form a double-header in Croke Park, with Laois playing Westmeath for the right to take on Dublin in the semi-final.
Sunday's programme also features the attractive meeting of Mayo and Roscommon in Castlebar, while the scheduled Cavan/Derry game in the Ulster championship goes ahead along with the replay involving Armagh and Donegal.
Derry had been due a home fixture, but, because the ground did not meet the safety standard required for the anticipated big crowd, the Ulster Council decided two months ago to move it to Casement Park in Belfast.
Cavan, managed by IT Tralee coach Val Andrews, seem certain to welcome back Peter Reilly to their attack.
He last played in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry, missing all of last year because of a serious knee injury which required surgery.
Wing-back Patrick Shield is also available for selection, having missed part of the league campaign because of injury.
Derry, jointly managed by Eamonn Coleman and Adrian McGurk, report no injuries. But, it seems that promising wing-back Paul McFlynn will miss the game.
He is a student at St. Mary's Teachers' Training College and leaves this week for a field trip in the French Pyrenees.
The trip is vital to his continuing studies and it could not be postponed.
Internally, the management had to cope with a recent controversy involving the Lavey and Ballinderry clubs which led to county players opting out of training.
Meanwhile, Armagh are certain to include Diarmuid Marsden in attack for their replay in Clones, after he proved his fitness in Sunday's drawn game. He was brought in after 15 minutes, at a stage when Donegal were leading 2-1 to 0. Marsden had been out of action since suffering a groin injury in the league semi-final replay with Dublin.
Defender Enda McNulty was injured during Sunday's draw in Ballybofey, but he is expected to start again.
Donegal will be more concerned by their loss of form after making an explosive start.

Draw worth half a million

SUNDAY'S draw in the Munster senior hurling championship involving Clare and Tipperary could be worth over half a million pounds to the Munster Council.
A near capacity crowd of 42,382 was in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. With tickets costing £12 for the covered stand, £10 for the uncovered, £8 each for both terraces, and TV fees the GAA could be in for a bonanza season.
In 1987 - the year of the draws - there were five draws in the senior championships and they included both the hurling and football finals.
Clare and Tipperary were involved in a draw that year in the semi-final, and Tipp went on to win comfortably in the semi-final.
Cork and Limerick also drew their hurling semi-final before Cork won the replay with plenty to spare. In the hurling final Tipperary and Cork drew 1-18 each before Tipp won the replay by three goals, 4-22 to 1-22.
In football, Waterford and Clare drew in the first round 2-9 each with Waterford winning the replay 2-12 to 0-16.
Cork and Kerry drew 1-10 to 2-7 in the final with Cork winning the replay on an 0-13 to 1-5 scoreline.
All those games broke the £1 million barrier for the first time.
Meanwhile tickets for the two Munster senior hurling championship semi-finals, Tipperary and Clare (replay) and Cork versus Waterford will go on sale at Páirc Uí Rinn on tomorrow from 2.30 pm to 9 pm.
The Cork County Board wish to advise the public that no postal or telephone applications will be entertained.
Tickets for clubs and other units of the association in Cork county will be issued through the various divisional boards.
Scheme ticket holders for the Tipperary v Clare match will receive their ticket allocation through the post.
Ticket prices for both games are: covered stand, £12; uncovered stand, £10; Terrace £8.
• The Cork County Board meeting due to be held tonight at Páirc Uí Chaoimh has been deferred to Tuesday, June 15 at 8.30 pm.

Stack praises Tipp, but sees win for his lads

by Jim O'Sullivan
THERE will be a lot of soul-searching in the Banner county over the next few days. It's the inevitable consequence of the team's below-bar performance in Sunday's Guinness Munster hurling semi-final at Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Opinions will differ widely on the respective challenges to be faced by the two teams, but Clare selector Sean Stack is very clear in his thinking. Quite simply, he rejects the view that Tipperary will experience difficulty in lifting their game to the same level in Saturday's replay (at the same venue, 3.30 and all-ticket).
Stack is fulsome in his praise of Nicholas English, crediting him with the way he has transformed the team from last year. "They are a confident bunch of lads. An awful lot of it has to be handed to Nicky,'' he says. "He has a great relationship with fellows. With his own team, maybe he was unfairly knocked at times, but, I always liked Nicky. I always thought he was a gentleman.
"You can see it in the influence he has had on the young players, the way they relate to him. They're so cocky and so confident and they have an endless amount of skill.
"I can tell you, they shocked us big time on Sunday.''
In spite of the fact that he coached Toomevara the year before last, Stack admitted that he had previously known little of the new Tipperary players. On the other hand, he was well aware of the talents of the Tipperary captain Tomás Dunne, one of the Toomevara stars and now establishing a reputation as one of the most accomplished and stylish players in the game.
In a sense, he says, last week-end's game was a "journey into the unknown".
"The League semi-final was only shadow-boxing. We did not know if Tip could lift it again, could they lift it another notch. I can tell you that they went up a lot of the rungs of the ladder,'' he explains.
Describing Fergal Heaney, full-back on the All-Ireland-winning minor team of 1996, as a "beautiful hurler, with endless skill", he felt centre-back David Kennedy "really came of age".
"I can tell you that we were very disappointed with a lot of our players' performances. We can't hide that fact,'' he added.
He has no doubt that their players can prove themselves in the replay. "What makes a player good is that when he goes home he will know if he played badly and will be disappointed.
"I think Tipperary will play every bit as well again, but, I think our lads will play better as well. I can see it being an equally good game and that it will come down to the puck of a ball.''
He concedes that there was a doubt about Clare's ability to reproduce their form of last year. "We did not know how we would perform. It was really our first game of the year. It wasn't for the Tipperary lads. People will run down the League, but, it was a good baptism for them. They played on the big occasion in Ennis [in the final] and got used to the crowd and the atmosphere. We can only hope that we can get the rustiness and the tension out of our team.
"A lot of our fellows were under severe pressure. The public expect them to perform, players themselves expect to perform and they put themselves under pressure as a result. That was always going to be the case in this game. They were not hurling as fluently as we would hope they can the next day.''
Tipperary themselves may feel that the element of surprise has been lost, but Stack argues that the players will be every bit as confident approaching the replay. "On Sunday, they proved two things, firstly, that they are able to hurl and secondly, they will battle as well.
"Nicky English has been saying all along that he always knew he has 'battlers.' Now, everybody else knows it.
"You have two battling teams. In fairness to our lads, no matter how they were playing, they were not going to lie down either.''
The way the game developed over the last fifteen minutes, he felt that Clare were not going to win frees. But, that wasn't a criticism of the referee, he hastened to point out. "I thought Dickie Murphy did a great job. The fact is that our fellows were not penetrating enough to force the Tipp backs to foul them. That was a very worrying aspect of our play.
"Fellows were not getting in close enough to box to be pulled down. The only one who did, was an old-stager like Conor Clancy, by getting the ball into his hands. We don't have enough of players like that.''
As far as Ollie Baker is concerned, Stack says that there is a continuing question mark over his fitness. "He is a long away from being fully fit; he has done nothing really. But the extra week will at least give him back a bit of confidence and maybe he can stay going a bit longer. It was a worry that he was not there, that we did not have someone like him to rough up the play around the middle.''
Stack was involved with Clare (along with Loughnane, and Nicholas English on the other side), when they drew with Tipperary in 1985 and 1987. On both occasions Tipp won the replays by big margins, 5-14 to 4-6 in Thurles the first year and by 4-17 to 0-8 in Killarney.
In his view, the current teams are much better matched. "Some of us were over the hill at the time,'' he said. "We were not able to bring the young fellows into the game. Both teams will hurl more fluently the next day. They will not get 'a cauldron' bigger than what they experienced on Sunday in any GAA game.''
He credited players on both sides with approaching the first game in such a positive fashion. "There was not a foul thought in any player's mind. It was blown up as an intense battle that could get out of hand," he said.
"I think Dickie Murphy's job was made very easy by the attitude of the players. Every player went out to play as best he could and as hard as he could.
"There was no hurley raised in anger at any stage. That was the way our fellows approached it. We would not accept it any other way. Tipp had the same attitude. It was very healthy,'' he added.

Replay live on RTE

RTE have confirmed that the replay of the Clare versus Tipperary Munster Hurling Championship semi-final will be televised live next Saturday at 3.30pm. The network will feature a live football double header on Sunday with the Kildare v Offaly Leinster Championship clash starting at 2.40pm, and the Connacht meeting of Mayo and Roscommon in Castlebar starting at 4.20pm.
The Sunday Game will feature extended highlights of the Cork v Waterford Munster SHC semi-final later in the evening.

Layers favour Oath for Curragh showdown

by David Carr
OATH was given a double vote of confidence yesterday ahead of his likely clash with Montjeu in the Budweiser Irish Derby a fortnight on Sunday.
Coral make Saturday's Vodafone Derby winner 8-11 favourite in a special match bet with the French colt who won the Prix du Jockey-Club in the mud at Chantilly 24 hours later.
And British Horseracing Board handicapper Nigel Gray revealed he rates the Henry Cecil-trained Oath ''well up to standard'' after his length and three quarter defeat of Daliapour at Epsom.
Explaining the decision to make Montjeu even money outsider of two, Montjeu Coral spokesman Simon Clare said: ''The Epsom Derby looked a stronger race than the French equivalent.
''And our view is that the ground is more likely to be good than soft in Ireland at that time of year.
''But it still looks close and we weren't far off making them joint favourites, although people are more likely to back the Cecil/Fallon combination.''
Clare stressed that bets will be void if either colt does not line up at the Curragh.
Meanwhile Gray, responsible for handicapping middle-distance races, has also given Oath his seal of approval.
''I have rated him 123,'' he said. ''All the recent Derby winners have been rated in the low to mid-120s immediately after Epsom and Oath is well up to that standard.
''Lammtarra and Shaamit were on 123, Benny The Dip 124 and High-Rise 125.
''Oath has shown improvement with every race. He went into the Derby on 117 after his five-length Dee Stakes win and with the rise in trip he looks to have progressed again.
''The form looks solid as Daliapour had a similar rating to High-Rise after the Lingfield Derby Trial and has clearly run his best race.
''The third Beat All had had his form boosted when Mukhalif won the Derby Italiano, the fourth Housemaster had also had his form boosted by Iscan and the fifth All The Way had been second to Ramruma at Newmarket.
''Lammtarra obviously went on to great things after the Derby and we will get a better idea of how good Oath is when he has taken on some of the strong band of older horses.
Gray would not be drawn into a comparison with Montjeu, as he has not yet spoken to his French counterpart.
But he added: ''If Oath and Montjeu run at the Curragh it would be a mouth-watering clash - really something to savour.''
Recent history favours Oath in the Irish Derby.
The Epsom winner has come out on top in two of the three clashes with his Chantilly counterpart at the Curragh in the past 20 years.
Commander In Chief beat Hernando in 1993 and Generous saw off Suave Dancer two years previously. Sole French ''success'' came when Caerleon got the better of Teenoso as the pair filled the places behind Shareef Dancer in 1983.
Meanwhile Linda Perratt yesterday played down the chance of ''lightning striking twice'' in Saturday's William Hill Trophy.
She has entered two outsiders for the £52,000-added York contest in which she gained the biggest success of her training career with 33-1 shot Friar Tuck last year.
But she is far from confident that either nine-time placed maiden Get Stuck In or twice-raced Ptarmigan will give her a repeat win in the six-furlong handicap. ''Obviously it was very special with Friar Tuck last year but what are the chances of lightning striking twice?'' Perratt said.
''Ptarmigan won first time out but has just had the one run at Ayr this year, though he will like it if it is soft ground.
''Get Stuck In has had plenty of opportunities but hasn't looked to live up to his name too often!
''He ran quite well at Chester and is always there or thereabouts but Saturday's race will be pretty competitive. I am very hopeful but not confident.''
A total of 37 horses were entered yesterday for the William Hill Trophy, for which weights will not be published until today as it is not an early-closing race this year.
Manchester United football manager Alex Ferguson's colours could be carried by the Ed Dunlop-trained Candleriggs, runner-up at Newbury last month.
Others engaged include the first six home in last month's Listed Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park, headed by the John Hills-trained winner Cubism and his father Barry's runner-up Munjiz.
Cubism's participation may be put in doubt by a wet week.
''We will keep an eye on the weather but he wouldn't want it too soft,'' his trainer said.

Burke lands spectacular 503-1 treble

by Pat Keane
LIAM BURKE proved the trainer to follow at opening stage of Tralee yesterday, landing a spectacular 503-1 treble with Native Wit, Just A Playboy and Boots 'N All.
Timmy Murphy had the ride on Native Wit and was seen to advantage, getting a real tune from the daughter Be My Native to take the Joseph J Grace Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Murphy made his move over the third last, sending his charge into the lead.
Native Wit turned in with a wall of horses trying to get on terms, but the bird had flown and Burke's mare crossed the line a comfortable winner.
"She was very disappointing at Clonmel last time, when I couldn't see her beaten", reported Burke.
"She'll be good when going over fences."
In the opening Kerry Maiden Hurdle, Just A Playboy stayed on dourly to initiate Burke's treble, this time in the capable hands of the talented Shane McCann.
Enterprisingly ridden, Just A Playboy jumped on over the third last. Akasian soon ranged up as a big danger, but Just A Playboy outstayed him from the final flight.
Commented Burke: "He surprised us. I wasn't going to run him, because he's had leg trouble."
And the handler's first ever trio of winners was completed when Boots 'N All, beautifully handled by Timmy Murphy, made every yard of the running to spread-eagle the field in the Ring Of Kerry Handicap 'Chase.
Burke, who has been training since 1986, was clearly thrilled at his achievement and said: "I never even had a treble at the point-to-points before."
Cloda's Minstral, well handled by Michael Murphy, ran out an easy 12 lengths victor of the Fenit Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Murphy sent her ahead approaching the home turn and she scampered clear to score with her head in her chest.
Commented trainer, John Queally: "She bounces off that ground and will keep going through the summer."
Dear Empress, who ran a cracker in a Bumper at Leopardstown previously, went off market leader.
But she made a couple of minor mistakes and was beaten approaching the third last.
East Coast Cooler, dashingly ridden by Garrett Cotter, made all to complete a Queally 71-1 success story in the Stanley Racing Customer Comes First Handicap 'Chase.
The Lord Americo gelding revelled in the conditions, jumped like a cat and stretched right away from six out. "He's had a load of problems and it is great to win a race with him", said Queally.
The Ger Cusack trained Borzov gave Pat Malone a welcome turn when powering home late to land the first division of the Munster Beginners 'Chase.
Frostbitten edged on six out, but blundered and jumped to his right at the penultimate obstacle.
This gave Borzov his chance and he swept past at the last to score cosily.
Tom Taaffe's We Three went off favourite, on this his first pop over fences.
He jumped nicely and was second early in the straight, but then failed to raise his tempo.
David Casey will not look back on the second division of the same contest with any relish. He was aboard hot-pot, Ballyrihy Boy.
When Ballyrihy Boy eased into the lead before two out, odds-on punters were entitled to be pleased with themselves.
But Casey allowed his charge canter down to the final fence and outsider Waydante, suddenly, began to stay on strongly to launch a challenge.
Casey went for his partner on the flat, but Waydante was now in full flow and was the stronger in the closing stages.
Trainer, David Fenton, remarked that the success of the daughter of Phardante was somewhat of a "mild surprise."
Said Fenton: "She got hurt in a point-to-point in February and we thought she would come on for the run."
Waydante was ridden by 20-year-old Martin Fitzgerald from Killeagh, Co Cork, and this was his second on the racecourse.
In the Bumper, Willie Mullins' first-timer, Joe Cullen, made all the running for Jim Nash to trounce market leader, Enterprising.

Proud Native swoops
to conquer in sprint

PROUD NATIVE became the sixth British trained winner of the Ballyogan Stakes during the 90's when scoring a half length win in the yesterday's five furlong Group 3 feature at Leopardstown.
Trained by Dandy Nicholls, and ridden by his wife, Alex Greaves, Proud Native came with a swooping run to lead 50 yards from the finish and ran on to beat Carhue Lass, who tried to make all, by half a length.
The five-year-old was Nicholls first ever runner in Ireland and also a first ride in the country for Greaves.
Nicholls, who runs Referendum in the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes at the same track tomorrow night, said "I wanted to run Proud Native in the big sprint at Epsom on Saturday before coming here. But his owner (Peter Savill) wasn't keen on the idea. He didn't allow me enter the horse for Royal Ascot but I'd love to run this fellow in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, a race we won before with Ya Malak."
The big disappointment of yesterday's race was odds on favourite Black Rock Desert, who finished sixth of the seven runners over eleven lengths behind the winner.
Mick Kinane's mount never counted at any stage of the race and was subsequently reported to be lame.
His trainer, Aidan O'Brien, said "Black Rock Desert appears to have pulled muscles high up in his hind quarters. Mick thinks it might have happened leaving the stalls. This set back almost certainly rules him out of Royal Ascot." While the past few days have been lean ones for the Ballydoyle three-year-olds, the famous training establishment continues to dominate the two-year-old scene and newcomer Monashee Mountain added to O'Brien's tally when making a winning debut in the six furlong Rochestown Stakes.
A big strong son of Danzig, Monashee Mountain made all under Kinane to score by a length and a half despite showing some signs of inexperience. Afterwards, O'Brien said: "This is a lovely, big, powerful horse and he will have learned a lot from today's race. It will be the end of the week before we finalise plans for the two-year-old races at Ascot and I'm not sure whether this fellow will be travelling."
John Oxx is beginning to clock up the winners after a sluggish start to the season and he completed a double when Hierarchy romped to an eight length win in the Nutgrove Maiden and What A Chocolate took the Milltown Handicap, winning by one length from Almerina. Both winners were partnered by champion jockey John Murtagh.
Pat Smullen and Dermot Weld brought their respective scores for the season to 23 when Halcyon scored a two and a half length win from the Oxx-trained Hirapour in the one and a quarter mile Wexford Maiden.
Wayne Lordan, 17, rode his sixth winner when taking the seven furlong Motor Neurone Handicap on 12/1 shot Gossie Madera.

Bank on Ben this time

by Pat Keane
BEN COHAN, who failed to deliver at Cork on Sunday, gets the nap to redress the balance in the Kirbys' Steakhouse Handicap Hurdle at Tralee today.
At Cork, he tried to make all the running, but crashed through the second last flight and was eventually beaten a length and a short head behind Silent Native and Camden Venture.
The fact he is turned out again so quickly is obviously encouraging and this does look a slightly weaker race, compared to two days ago. It has to be accepted the selection has been largely disappointing, but, in this grade, looks worth chancing again!
The Kingdom Beginners 'Chase is best left to Charlie Swan's Sparkey Smith. He was a promising sort at one stage, trained then by Jessica Harrington, but lost his way somewhat.
His latest performance, however, was a reasonable display. At Ballinrobe, Sparkey Smith was beaten four and a half lengths into second place by the gambled on Dante's Battle and had one of his rivals now, Honey Trader, over seven lengths away in fourth spot.
The opening Ardfert Maiden won't take much wining and a hopeful nod falls in the direction of Dermot Weld's once-raced Apollo Bay.
There was only a little promise in his debut run when finishing 10th of 15 behind Union Project at Leopardstown. But Weld's horses are in terrific shape and this fellow can be expected to improve plenty.