The fastest Irish woman of all time clocked nine minutes 35.86 seconds and finished just 0.083sec behind Kenya's Commonwealth record holder Eunice Jepkorir, with Cristina Casandra third in 9min 36.38secs.

McGettigan was content to sit in the pack until a sprint took place over the final lap which intensified between the leading three contenders down the home straight.

Jepkorir sealed her victory in the final 20m and just as it looked as though Romania's Casandra would follow her home, McGettigan found extra reserves.

The 27-year-old World Championship finalist used her new lease of life to stagger ahead of the former world record holder and snatch the $20,000 (/14,200) runner-up purse.

"That's got to be my best performance ever by a long way at this level of competition, and I've got to tell you it feels great, " said McGettigan.

LIMERICK IN B FINAL AFTER GALWAY WIN HENAMAN CLOSES OUT CAREER IN STYLE Limerick are through to meet Cork in the Gala All Ireland Senior B camogie "nal next week after their 110 to 0-4 victory over Galway at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

At half-time Limerick led by 1-2 to 0-3 with the goal coming from Mairead Kelly and they held their opponents to just one point in the second half. Eileen O'Brien was top scorer with six points.

Meanwhile, Cork became the "rst team to qualify for the AllIreland Minor A Camogie "nal following their 1-10 to 1-5 win over Tipperary.

PEDROSA SECURES POLE IN STYLE AT JAPAN Dani Pedrosa celebrated signing a new two-year contract with Honda by claiming pole position for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi.

The Spaniard took pole by clocking a time of one minute 45.864 seconds on his penultimate qualifying lap.

Yamaha's Valentino Rossi finished 0.391secs behind him, with reigning world champion Nicky Hayden a further 0.320secs adrift in third.

Championship leader Casey Stoner finished ninth fastest in 1:47.121secs. Stoner leads the standings by 76 points with three rounds remaining.

Tim Henman brought a "tting end to his competitive career at the All England Club by steering Great Britain back into the Davis Cup World Group for the "rst time in four years.

Henman teamed up with Jamie Murray to win the doubles rubber 46 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 over Croatia's Marin Cilic and Lovro Zovko and secure his nation an unassailable 30 lead with two rubbers remaining.

The capacity Court One crowd rose to acclaim Henman after his whipped cross-court forehand converted Great Britain's "rst match point and sealed a thoroughly convincing two-day victory.

Henman showed the composure which has sustained him through the best part of 13 Wimbledon summers, celebrating with "stpumps to the sky.

ON SONG PAKISTAN CLINCH FINAL BERTH Pakistan booked their place in the World Twenty20 final with a six wicket victory over New Zealand in Cape Town yesterday.

Pakistan opener Imran Nazir smashed 59 from just 41 balls as he gave them the perfect start on their way to chasing down a target of 144.

Nazir hit five sixes in his innings before captain Shoaib Malik hit the winning runs.

Earlier, Umar Gul took three wickets for 15 runs as New Zealand were restricted to 143-8 after a promising start.

GERMANY AND USA LADIES PROGRESS Holders Germany and the USA advanced to the semi-"nals of the Women's World Cup yesterday after both secured comprehensive wins.

Germany comfortably beat North Korea 3-0, with second half goals by Renate Lingor and Annike Krahn adding to Kerstin Garefrekes strike late in the first half.

In yesterday's other quarter final, Abby Wambach put the United States on their way to victory over England with a 48th minute header.

England battled bravely but further goals from Shannon Boxx and Kristine Lilly sealed a 3-0 win for the US.

KILTEGAN STUN CHAMPIONS CARNEW Kiltegan caused a shock in Wicklow's senior hurling championship at Aughrim yesterday when they dumped the reigning champions Carnew out of the championship race with a sensational and deserved four points win in their semi-final game.

Apart from opening minutes which saw Carnew's Timmy Collins level the scores after Sean Byrne's opening point, Kiltegan led all the way in this match and were well on their way by half time when they led by 1-9 to 0-4 at the break.

O'SHEA IMPRESSES IN ITALY SHOWJUMPING Limerick-born Paul O'Shea won the 1m 50 speed class at La Bagnaia, Italy, yesterday, stealing just over a second from Italian runner-up Fabio Crotta. O'Shea was riding the eight year-old Irish-bred Shannondale Macalla.

Later, O'Shea brought out The Patriot to do battle in the La Bagnaia Derby, but, while jumping a fault-free round, the 30 year-old rider was only fast enough to "nish ninth overall.

MENCHOV ON COURSE FOR VUELTA VICTORY Denis Menchov is close to winning his second Vuelta a Espana, after finishing second in Saturday's time trial. The day victory once again went to Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez of Euskaltel.

Philip Deignan is set to finish his first Grand Tour which augurs well for him when he lines up next Sunday at the World Championships in Germany.

Dutchman Stef Clement had clocked an impressive time, needing only 22 minutes and 25 seconds to complete the tricky course.

However, this was before Spaniard Samuel Sanchez had a chance to show his skills. The Eusktaltel rider was fourteen seconds faster than Clement and would go on to clinch yet another stage victory.

Denis Menchov finished in second place, and the Russian is practically certain of winning the race for the second time in his career.