This article is from page 63 of the 2011-09-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 63 JPG
IT WAS a case of mixed fortunes for Clare on Weekend 1 of All-Ireland 60×30 adult All-Ireland finals as the Banner County claimed two out of three finals contested, while Clare players will again feature in three deciders this Saturday. In Ballina last Sunday, Pat Donellan was made to work before claiming the Golden Masters B Singles title. Playing Eamon Purcell of Kilkenny, the Kilkishen man got off to a great start and took the first game 21-9. Purcell had the better of the second game to win 21-13 to set up a deciding third game which went all the way to the wire, Donellan showing the greater nerve to come out on top by the tightest margin, 21-20. Also in Ballina, the evergreen John Kirby had a very straight-forward win over Kildare’s Dermot Howard, winning the Ruby Masters Singles decider 21-4, 210. In Roscommon on the same day, Edel O’Grady and Ashling Fitzgerald took on Westmeath’s Aoife McCarthy and Niamh Egan in the Ladies Junior Doubles final. Dominating the early stages, the Tuamgraney pair won the first game 21-10 and, holding a healthy lead in the second, looked set for victory. The Westmeath girls, McCarthy in particular, staged a dramatic comeback to win 21-19 and continued their momentum and were on top for most of the third game, winning 21-10.
The All-Ireland Juvenile 60×30 finals were also held last Saturday week where there was disappointment in Cashel for Banner County players in the Boys Under 14 Singles and Girls Under 15 Doubles deciders. Fergal Coughlan (Clooney) was defeated by Wicklow’s Daniel Curry in the third game (9-15, 15-14, 715) while Natasha Coughlan and Michelle Nihill went down against Ashling Maher and Denise Love of Kilkenny (9-15, 13-15).
Roscommon will be the venue this Saturday for three more All-Ireland finals involving Clare players. With a start time of 3.00, Aisling Fitzgerald gets a chance at revenge for her doubles defeat when she plays Aoife McCarthy (Westmeath) in the Ladies Junior Singles decider.
In Golden Masters B Doubles, Pat Donellan will be hoping for a second All-Ireland when he teams up with Stephen McInerney to play Cavan’s Dermot Dolan and Andy Clarke while Ruby Masters Singles champion John Kirby plays the Doubles final with Jimmy Walsh against Pat Ryan and Michael O’Brien of Dublin.
Finally Wexford pair Colin Keeling and Barry Goff caused a slight shock in Williamstown on Saturday when winning the All-Ireland Senior Doubles final on a 21-12, 21-17 scoreline. Cork’s Colm Jordan won the Intermediate Singles final against Gary McConnell of Meath while the Minor Doubles title also went to Wexford, with Dean Corrigan and Cory Murphy victorious over Roscommon.