Trio’s absence telling

The absence of James McGee, Louk Sorensen and Sam Barry was sorely felt as Ireland were left facing a 2-0 deficit yesterday after the opening two singles contests in the Davis Cup tie against Belarus in Minsk.

Without Ireland’s top three ranked players, Garry Cahill’s charges were always going to struggle in the first round Europe-Africa Zone Group Two first round clash.

Slim hopes that Mayo man Daniel Glancy would build on his win in his debut match against Finland’s Micke Kontinen at Castleknock last April were dashed as Dmitry Zhyrmont romped to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 success