The Irish men's heavyweight four consisting of Cormac Folan, Sean O'Neill, Sean Casey and Alan Martin rowed brilliantly to win yesterday's thrilling B "nal over Canada and World Cup silver medallists New Zealand at the Rowing World Championships in Eton, and claim seventh place overall.

Crucially, the result keeps the target of Olympic qualification at next year's World Championships very much on track; the top eleven boats at next year's event qualify for Beijing 2008.

BANANA SKINS ALL ROUND IN CARLING CUP

The Carling Cup second round draw threw up the prospect of more giant-killing exploits after most of the Premiership clubs were paired with League Two opposition. Accrington Stanley's reward for knocking out double European champions Nottingham Forest on their first ever appearance in the competition is a trip to Sheffield United, while the Football League's bottom club Bury . . . who shocked Sunderland in round one . . . visit United's fellow topflight new boys Watford.

Wigan, Everton, Bolton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Portsmouth all face potential banana skins after they were drawn away from home. City face arguably the toughest task with a trip to League One Chesterfield but the others will also need to be careful. Everton are up against Peterborough, Bolton travel to Walsall, Villa are at Scunthorpe, Portsmouth tackle Mansfield and last year's runners-up Wigan take on Crewe.

IRELAND MAKE SLOW CELTIC CUP START

The Irish men got off to a disappointing start, losing 3-2 to Scotland in the opening game of their Celtic Cup campaign. Ireland started the match positively and Mark Gleghorne was unlucky not to open the scoring with the Irish winning the "rst penalty corner two minutes into the game. The game quickly turned with a counter attack from the Scottish allowing them to take the edge slotting away their "rst goal.

The rest of the "rst half saw two more goals from the opposition, scoring once from open play and then from a penalty corner. The Irish came out looking the stronger side in the second half and created a number of chances including a long aerial from Hobbs into the Scottish circle which was struck "rst time by Michael Watt only to come crashing off the cross bar. Six minutes into the second half Gleghorne scored his second goal continuing his "ne form of converting penalty corners.

ENGLAND SCRAP CONTINGENCY PLANS

England have scrapped their contingency plans following Pakistan's assurance they will fulfil the one-day obligations of their tour. During a hectic week of fall-out from the fourth test forfeiture, the England and Wales Cricket Board began formulating plan B and West Indies were primed to fill in for the NatWest Series.

However, following Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahriyar Khan's confirmation to both English counterpart David Morgan and the International Cricket Council they have shelved thoughts of back-up opposition.

WOODGATE SET FOR BORO LOAN DEAL

Middlesbrough are hopeful of luring Jonathan Woodgate back to the Premiership after he revealed he will spend the season on loan in England. The Real Madrid star has suffered an injury nightmare during his two years at the Bernabeu and is desperate to prove his "tness. Boro, former club Newcastle and Liverpool have been linked with the 26-year-old and Gareth Southgate is hoping the Middlesbrough-born defender will opt for his home-town club.

Woodgate said: "I am going to go on loan for a year and I will know which team I am going to join in the next few days. I like all the English teams that want me and it would be a positive step to go back. I need to play games to show I am strong and completely recovered."

WEST INDIES CRICKET LEGEND DIES

Former West Indies cricket great Clyde Walcott has died in a Barbados hospital at the age of 80. He became famous in the 1950s as one of the three Ws along with Frank Worrell and Everton Weekes. Walcott scored 3,798 runs in 44 Test appearances at an average of 56.68, including 15 centuries.

He was later manager of the West Indies team which won the 1975 and 1979 World Cup and also had a spell as chairman of the International Cricket Council.