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LISTING
Events are listed alphabetically bysport, than by day. Sport Listings compiled byTom Lappin.
Saturday 8
I PEARL ASSURANCE INTERNATIONAL GAMES Kelvin Hall. Glasgow. 2.30pm. A quality field should be assured in one of the premier events of Britain‘s indoor athletics' calendar.
Friday 31—Sunday 2
PILKINGTON GLASS SCOTTISH NATIONAL SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Meadowbank Sports Centre. Edinburgh.
BASKETBALL Sunday2
SCOTTISH CUP
I Finals Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh. Noon—8pm. All ofthe finals on one day with men and women, senior and youth championships up for grabs. See panel.
Saturday 1
PREMIER LEAGUE
I Celtic V Faikirk Celtic Park. Gallowgate, Glasgow. 3pm.
I Hearts V Rangers Tynecastle Park, Gorgie Road, Edinburgh. 3pm. Now isthe time of reckoning for Hearts. unbeaten for months and then humiliated first by Aberdeen and then. of all teams. Airdrie. A good drubbing of Range rs would see them back on the rails, and on course for the championship. but there‘s perhaps too much at stake for this to be a classic match. I Motherwell v Hibs Fir Park, Motherwell. 3pm. Easter Road will soon be no more— aahhh, and the new stadium is so far outof the city. will Hibs even be able to call themselves an Edinburgh club anymore? Such questions are for the future, the pressing problem is to secure a berth in Europe for next season and Motherwell should not prove to be too much of an obstacle.
I SI Mirren V Airdrie Love Street. Paisley.
3pm.
FIRST DIVISION
I Ayr V Clydebank Somerset Park , Somerset Road, Ayr. 3pm.
I Dundee v Meadowbank Dens Park, Sandeman Street. Dundee. 3pm. Now surely Premier Division-bound the team of the season should dispose of Meadowbank with ease.
I Hamilton V Morton Douglas Park. Hamilton. 3pm.
I Partick Thistle v Kilmamock Firhill, Firhill Road, Glasgow. 3pm.
I Ralth Rovers v Foriar Stark‘s Park. Pratt Street. Kirkcaldy. 3pm.
I Stirling Albion v Montrose Annfteld, Stirling. 3pm.
SECOND DIVISION
I Albion Rovers v East File Cliftonhill, (‘oatbridge 3pm.
I Cowdenbeath v Clyde Central Park,
i (Towdenbcath. 3pm.
‘LIDumbarton v Dueen olthe South
ATHLETICS
BADMINTON
FOOTBALL
l
TALL TALES
Basketball’s taken a bit ol a battering ol late. First the Harlem Globetrotters, doyens at 703 Saturday evening TV, go bust. Then Magic Johnson, the epitome ol the all-American sporting hero, admits that he has contracted the HIV virus as the result at a less than heroic sex-lire. The sport that had remained stoically unblemished lor years, while athletics, grid-iron lootball, boxing et al have been called into question, is llnally lalllng into line and becoming tarnished ltsell.
But, certainly at the moment, the problems remain resolutely on the far side ol the Atlantic, and British basketball is booming. Having been in the shadows of European, Israeli and, of course, American teams lor years, a decade oi dedication is starting to pay all with British teams competing on more-or-less equal terms with the best in Europe. Dverthose ten years, the small Scottish town at Livingston has always been at the iorelront at British basketball. 0n 2 February the team will compete in yet another Scottish Cup linal against old rivals, City oi Edinburgh (who have settled on that traditional name after originally calling themselves the All-Blacks).
‘The Livingston men’s club has been pretty dominant lor ten years,’ says Scottish basketball’s technical director, Ken Johnstone, ‘but they played Edinburgh in the league earlier this year and it was hip and tuck right to the final whistle. Livingston just pulled away in the dying seconds but it was such a close match that the Cup Final could certainly go either way.’
Livingston, lavourites lor another Scottish Cup triumph.
The day before basketball’s jamboree, there will be an international match between Ireland and Scotland in basketball's close cousin, netball. The latter game has suffered as a result at the lormer’s emergence, and the lact that the men’s and women’s linals are played on the same day indicates how lar basketball has overtaken its more traditional rival. Two thousand people are expected at Meadowbank to cheer on their lavourites and expect at least 50 per cent olthem to be women. (Philip Parr)
All matches to be played on Sun 2 Feb: 12.30pm Bank ol Scotland Youth Women’s linal: Edinburgh Royals v Dundee.
2.15pm Bank Ol Scotland Youth Men's Final: Dunlermline v Paisley Clanlord. 4pm Senior Women’s Final: City ol Edinburgh v Caledonia.
6pm Senior Men’s Final: Livingston v City at Edinburgh.
Boghead. Dumbarton. 3pm.
I East Stirling v Alloa Firs Park. Firs Street. Falkirk. 3pm.
I Dueen’s Park v Brechln Hampan Park. Glasgow. 3pm.
Saturday 8
PREMIER LEAGUE -
I Celtic V Airdrie Celtic Park, Gallowgate. Glasgow. 3pm.
I Hearts V Dundee UId Tynecastlc Park. Gorgie Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. After wrestling with Rangers last week. thisis another game which Joe Jordon‘s men could well do without en route to the final lap ofthe championship.
I Motherwell v Dunlermline Fir Park. Motherwell. 3pm. Battle ofthe lowlies with Motherwell having the edge over the pitiful Fifers.
I St Minen v Rangers Love Street. Paisley. 3pm. The schedule certainly seems to be favouring Rangers of late with another lowly team just waiting to donate two points to their championship cause. FIRST DIVISION
I Ayr V Meadowbank Somerset Park, Somerset Road, Ayr. 3pm.
I Dundee v llilmarnock Dens Park. Sandeman Street. Dundee. 3pm.
I Hamilton V Clydebank Douglas Park. Hamilton. 3pm.
I Partick Thistle v Montrose Firhill. Firhill Road. Glasgow. 3pm.
I Raith Rovers v Morton Stark's Park. Pratt Street. Kirkcaldy. 3pm.
I Stirling Albion v Foriar Annficld. Stirling. 3pm.
SECOND DIVISION
I Alloa Athletic V Brechin Recreation Park. Alloa. 3pm.
I Dumbarton v Slranraer Boghead. Dumbarton. 3pm.
I East Stirling v Berwick Firs Park.Firs Street. Falkirk. 3pm.
Sunday 2
SCOTTISH CUP FINALS Bells Sports Centre. Perth.
Saturday 8
I Ayr Ayr Racecourse. 2 Whitletts Road, Ayr. 0292 264179. Club £10. Eglinton £6. First race 1.45pm. Over the sticks at Scotland‘s premier course.
Sunday 2
BRITISH PREMIER LEAGUE
I Murraylleld Racers v Humberside Seahawks Murrayfield Ice Rink, Riversdale Crescent. Edinburgh. 6.30pm. £4.50 (£3).
Sunday9
I Murrayfield Racers v Durham Wasps Murrayfield Ice Rink. Riversdale Crescent. Edinburgh. 6.30pm. £4.50 (£3).
Thursday 13
I Murrayfield Racers vAyr Bruins Murrayfield Ice Rink. Riversdale Crescent. Edinburgh. 6.30pm. £4.50 (£3). To be confirmed.
NETBALL Saturday 8
I INTERNATIONAL
Scotland v Republic or Ireland Bishopbriggs Sports Centre. Glasgow. 9am—5pm. A full day‘s entertainment with under-l8and under- 16 games scheduled for the morning before the big match in the afternoon.
RUGBY Saturday1
MCEWAN'S NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 1
I Boroughmuirv Gala Meggetland. Colinton Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. A match rescheduled from December when the weather caused cancellation. A very important game for last year's champions Boroughmuir who have been hugely disappointing this season and could be
relegated if they don't get their act
together soon. The competent Gala (including the man who should be Scotland‘s full-back. Peter Dods) will not make life easy for them.
MCEWAN'S NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 I Kirkcaldy v Dundee HSFP Beveridge Park. Balwcarie Road. Kirkcaldy. 3pm. The free-scoring Dundee have slipped a little of late but still impress in attack more than any other team in the toptwo divisions. Bottom of the table Kirkcaldy should be a push over.
I Musselburgh v Glasgow Academicals Stoneyhill. Stoneyhill Farm Road. Musselburgh. 3pm.
Saturday 8
McEWAN'S NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 I Stewart’s/Melville FP v Currie lnverleith. Ferry Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. Apologies for the paucity of rugby available in Scotland‘s two main cities this week — blame the Borders which has a virtual monopoly of the top matches. Neither of these teams look likely to set the capital alight - Stewart‘s Melville in their customary mid-table; Currie, Division 2-bound.
McEWAN'S NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 I Corstorphine v Edinburgh Wanderers Union Park, North Saughton Road, Edinburgh. 3pm.
I Glasgow Academicals v Preston Lodge FP New Anniesland, Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow. 3pm.
52 ThE-Iist 31 January— 13 February 1992