Other NI News In Brief

NI Win In San Marino

The Northern Ireland football team cruised to a 3-0 victory in San Marino last night to get their World Cup campaign back on track. The away team got off to the best possible start against the joint lowest ranked team in the Fifa world rankings. Defender Gareth McCauley got his first international goal after only six minutes, turning in a corner from Grant McCann to the delight of the 1,300 travelling fans. Provider McCann then turned goalscorer, with a right foot curling finish from outside the penalty box after the half hour mark. Substitute Chris Brunt scored the third and final goal from a set-piece midway through the second half - his first strike for his country also. San Marino's Manuel Marani was sent off for a second bookable offence six minutes later, but Northern Ireland had already settled with their goal tally at that point. However, Kyle Lafferty, Steve Davis and George McCartney will now all miss the next qualifier against Poland at Windsor Park, after picking up bookings. Northern Ireland is now second in Group Three on goal difference, having collected seven points.

Derry Murder Probe Spotlights Rogue Republicans

Dissident republicans are being blamed for the killing of the man shot dead in Londonderry yesterday. Police in the city have launched a murder inquiry after a male was shot dead in the Prehen area of Waterside shortly after midnight on Wednesday. The 38-year-old victim was taken to hospital after two masked gunmen entered a house in Woodland Avenue and fired several shots. The man, who later died from his injuries, has been named locally as Jim McConnell. As PSNI detectives confirmed the republican angle was one line of investigations, Derry's Mayor Gerard Diver described the act as "like an incident from the worst days of the Troubles".

Fraud Payback In Court

A Belfast man was given an eight month prison sentence at Laganside Crown Court yesterday for claiming benefits he was not entitled to. Robert Finn (45) of Donegore Gardens, Belfast was convicted of failure to declare employment while claiming benefits totalling £18,282. Mr Finn is also required to repay the money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency. This brings to 61 the total number of successful prosecutions this year.

Car Hits Tracks

The driver of a car that ended up on the railway track at Drumbane outside Lurgan yesterday escaped with just minor injuries. Her vehicle crashed at a level crossing just after 10am, blocking the line with rail services cancelled for a time as a result.

Ryanair Cuts Back On Dublin

Budget airline Ryanair are to announce cuts to its Dublin service later this morning. The airline says it has been facing difficulties with the €10 departure levy, introduced as part of last year's Government Budget. Last week, the airline announced plans to reduce services at Shannon and cut the number of aircraft at the Co Clare facility from six to four. Ryanair has blamed the move on the Government's airport tax, which it claims has caused declines in traffic to the UK and Holland, and is "devastating forward bookings".

(BMcC/JM)