Friday morning sport

GOLF Shane Lowry is 4th going into the weekend at the HSBC Champions event in China. The Clara native shot a second round 68 to move to 10 under par. Louis Oosthuizen is the man to catch at Mission Hills. The former Open Champion's 63 has brought him to 16 under and 5 clear of the field. GAELIC GAMES Brendan Murphy has brought an end to his Offaly hurling career. The Ballyskenagh clubman featured in the 2000 All-Ireland and Leinster Hurling Finals as a teenager and also played in the 2004 provincial final against Wexford. Murphy, who will continue hurling for his club, has told manager Ollie Baker that he's not a position to give the required commitment in the coming year. DCU professor Niall Moyna has ruled himself out of the race to become the next Roscommon football manager. Moyna spoke with county board officials about the position but already committed himself to managing DCU's Sigerson Cup team this year. Roscommon and Waterford are the only two football counties yet to appoint a manager for 2013. The Westmeath U21 football championship game between Ballycomoyle and Tubberclair has been re-scheduled for 7pm tomorrow at Tubberclair. SOCCER Waterford United and Dundalk meet with a place in the Premier league at stake in tonight's promotion/relegation play-off second leg at the R.S.C The sides are locked at two all from the first leg but away goals don't count in this fixture. Kick off is at 7.45 Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva could be back in action in three weeks, according to manager Brendan Rodgers. The Brazilian, who missed the majority of last season with a knee injury, has been out since suffering a thigh problem in their game with Manchester City in August. Willow Park B host Rosenallis this evening in the CCFL's Premier Division Willow go into the 8 O'Clock kick off in third while Rosenallis are third from bottom Tomorrow afternoon the CCFL's Youth Inter League side play the DDSL in the FAI Inter League competition at Leah Victoria Park at 2.30 At the same time in the O'Neill's LFA Over 35's Cup 2nd Round Mullingar Town play Patrician Celtic The John Farrell Combined Counties Cup gets underway tomorrow Mostrim Utd play Inny FC, Granard Celtic take on Newtown FC, it's Grange United versus Carrickboy Celtic, Melville Celtic face Dynamoe Rooskey, Colmcille Celtic play Ballymahon FC and Spartak Granard meet Camlin United On Sunday in the Umbro FAI Junior Cup 2nd Round Edenderry travel to Wolf Tone FC In the third round Mullingar Athletic are away to Stoneyford, Freebooters host Willow Park, CK are away to Curracloe United and Clara Town also have an away tie against North End United And in the O'Neill's LFA Junior Shield's 1st Round Mountmellick United host Shielton FC RUGBY UNION Ireland head coach Declan Kidney is hoping that his injury problems will clear-up significantly over the weekend after admitting that Paul O'Connell is still struggling to be fit ahead of the November Internationals. O'Connell sat-out training at Carton House yesterday and Kidney revealed afterwards that the second-row hasn't taken part in training since last Monday after complaining of stiffness. The second-row has been undergoing rehab with the Irish medical staff and Kidney is hopeful that he'll report back to camp in better shape next week after admitting that he would have preferred to have seen him playing for Munster over the weekend. With doubts persisting over O'Connell's fitness and the absence of Brian O'Driscoll and Rory Best for the matches against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina, Ireland coach Declan Kidney has admitted that he's had to consider other potential candidates for the Ireland captaincy. He says he's got some names in mind and also admits that the next skipper doesn't necessarily need to have previous experience captaining his province. Ronan O'Gara will start at out-half for Munster's clash with the Cardiff Blues tonight. After being released from the Irish camp to pick-up some extra game time, O'Gara has been included alongside Ian Keatley for the trip to the Arms Park, with Keatley named at inside centre. The other selection that Declan Kidney will be paying attention to is the inclusion of Felix Jones at full-back, with the former Leinster academy player expected to be called-up to the Ireland camp if he comes through the game unharmed. Ulster have got Stephen Ferris back at blindside for the first-time since he picked-up a back problem before the start of the Heineken Cup group games and he'll be joined in the back-row by Roger Wilson, who'll be making his first appearance for the province since his return from Northampton. Head coach Mark Anscombe has made nine changes to his team, with full-back Ricky Andrew set to make his first senior start as Jared Payne moves to outside centre. The half back pairing of Paul Marshall and Ruan Pienaar remains unchanged from last weekend. CYCLING Former cyclist turned anti-doping journalist Paul Kimmage has lodged a criminal complaint against the UCI's current and past presidents. Following the decision by Pat McQuaid and Hein Verbruggen to suspend their defamation case against Kimmage, the Dubliner has decided to take the fight to the men that control the sport's governing body. Kimmage's Swiss lawyers have asked for a criminal investigation on the grounds of "slander or defamation, denigration and for strong suspicions of fraud" against the current UCI president, Pat McQuaid and his predecessor. In a 28-page document, Kimmage alleges that, among other things, his reputation was "dragged through the mud, that he was called a liar in public". In addition, the complaint reveals that Kimmage has "strong suspicions" of collusion with Lance Armstrong during his doping regime. On twitter, Kimmage says that he has taken the case on behalf of the "whistle-blowers" in the sport that were dismissed as 'cowards' and 'scumbags'. The International Olympic Committee has started an investigation into Lance Armstrong's bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympic time-trial. The disgraced former cyclist has already been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after he was identified as the key player in the most successful doping conspiracy in the history of sport. The IOC says it will "immediately" look into Armstong's Olympic record as well as the achievements of the other riders and officials implicated in the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's investigation. RACING The highly rated Monksland is in action at Down Royal this afternoon where the first of seven goes to post at 1.05, the going there is soft. There's also an eight race evening card from 6 O'Clock at Dundalk. Rhode jockey Pat Smullen is in action in America, it's the first day of the Breeders Cup weekend at Santa Anita.

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