This article is from page 56 of the 2011-09-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 56 JPG
THE RECENT 60×30 All-Ireland adult semi-finals were succesful for all three Clare doubles pairs in action, albeit with the help of a pair of walkovers.
In the Ruby Masters Doubles, John Kirby and Jimmy Walsh received a bye when Mayo’s John Kenny and Tom Derrig pulled out due to an injury to Kenny. In Ladies Junior Doubles, Ashling Fitzgerald and Edel O’Grady got a walkover from Mayo’s Stephanie Coleman and Mary Duffy.
The one Banner County pair to play their semi-final were Pat Donellan and Stephen McInerney in the Golden Masters and they had a comprehensive win in Tuamgraney when they defeated Galway’s Willie Corc- oran and Mike Shaughnessy, 21-16, 21-12.
Both Masters Doubles pairs will play their All-Ireland finals on Saturday September 24 in St. Coman’s, Roscommon at 3pm. Donellan and McInerney will play Cavan’s Dermot Dolan and Andy Clarke while the Ruby Doubles pairing will be in opposition against Pat Ryan and Michael O’Brien of Dublin. On the same bill, Ashling Fitzgerald plays the Ladies Junior Singles decider against Westmeath’s Aoife McCarthy.
Before then, the Banner County will be well represented in the first round of adult All-Ireland finals to be played this coming weekend when four Clare players play All-Ireland deciders. On Sunday in Ballina, John Kirby will play Dermot Howard (Kildare) and Pat Donellan faces Kilkenny man Eamn Purcell. The action starts at the Tipperary venue at 1pm. Ashling Fitzgerald and Edel O’Grady travel to St. Coman’s, Roscommon on the same day to take on Aoife McCarthy and Niamh Egan (Westmeath) in the Junior Ladies Doubles final (1.00pm).
Meanwhile, this weekend also sees the All-Ireland 60×30 Juvenile finals taking place and Clare have a strong interest here too. Clooney’s Fergal Coughlan plays the Boys Under 14 Singles final against Daniel Curry from Wicklow while Fergal’s sister Natasha, along with Michelle Nihill (also Clooney) take on Mary Buggy and Catherine Foley of Kilkenny in Girls Under 15 Doubles. Both finals are in Cashel this Saturday with a starting time of 11.30am.