New Ross Badminton Club

Before even a shuttle was struck the final of the Waterford premier mixed league had all the ingredients of being a thriller.  All pre-match predictions were to prove correct with the match ending 3 - 3 on games, 7 – 7 on sets, but unfortunately for New Ross they relinquished their title by virtue of Lady Lane having a superior points total, 175 to 160.  Lady Lane started well with Timmy Keogh and John Riordan defeating Noel Carton and Martin Regan in the opening men’s doubles, but New Ross then hit a purple patch to win three games in a row.  Rosemary Burke and Brideen Lynch defeated Triona Dobbin and Kate Hayes and in the best game of the night Noel Carton and Ralph Stone won the second men’s doubles in two sets.  When Rosemary Burke and Orla Deegan took the second ladies doubles in three sets, it meant New Ross needed just a set from the final two mixed doubles games to regain their title.  It was not to be however as the Lady Lane pairings were in fine form with Timmy Keogh and Mary Walsh getting the better of Ralph Stone and Brideen Lynch and Ger Martin and Triona Dobbin defeating Martin Regan and Orla Deegan both in two sets. 

There was excitement a plenty at the start of the New Ross Club Championships held during the week.  First up was the novice singles with Valerie Roche as expected coming through the bottom half of the draw.  The top half threw up a surprise result with 12 year-old Joseph Meggs qualifying for his first ever club final.  Joseph had to do it the hard way with an opening round victory 11-1, 11-8 over Bernadette Phelan followed by a quarterfinal success of 11-5, 11-5 against Kevin Burke.  In the semi-final Joseph met Jane Parker and after a very exciting game he emerged victorious 11-3, 6-11, 11-8.  Plenty of drama also in the junior singles where last years novice finalists Clodagh McDonald and Peter Meggs renewed rivalry in the semi-final.  Peter took the opening set 11-8, with Clodagh hitting back to take the second set by the same margin.  Clodagh looked in serious trouble in the third set when she trailed 10-8, but she kept her nerve to eventually win by the narrowest of margins 11-10.  In the final Clodagh will meet Helen Moore who came through the top section with victories over Declan Burke and Gretta Meggs.

If you were looking for excitement and endeavour these fine summer evenings a stroll along to the New Ross Vocational College would have provided you with excitement and entertainment in abundance during play in the qualifying rounds of New Ross Badminton Club championships.  You are still not too late to catch some of the action as the Senior Doubles will take place on Wednesday the 30th April, followed by the Intermediate doubles on Thursday the 1st May culminating with the club finals on Tuesday the 6th May.  During the past week we the senior and intermediated singles, novice and junior doubles finalists were decided. The top two in the senior singles Noel Carton and Christopher McMackin will contest the senior singles which means there will be a new name on the Tommy McLoughlin trophy in 2003.   Christopher defeated last years winner Karen Hennessey 15-6, 15-8 in the first semi-final while Noel overcame Martin Regan 15-3, 15-13 in the other semi-final. 

In the intermediate singles Adrian Delaney will meet Andrew Wayland.  Adrian overcame a spirited challenge from Eoin Mernagh in one semi-final winning 15-10,15-12, while Andrew proved too strong for Laura Lynch in the second semi-final when he went through 15-8,15-8.  Both games featured some excellent badminton that would not be amiss at senior level and given the many young players in the club eligible for this grade the senior players will be watching their back in the near future. 

The junior doubles final on the 6th will feature Valerie Roche and Peter Meggs pitted against Clodagh McDonald and Gretta Meggs.  These have already met in the qualifying phase resulting in a narrow to Valerie and Peter and if the final is half as good a game it will be well worth seeing.  The novice double final should also be a close affair with Ann Sullivan and Joseph Caulfield taking on Theresa Fenlon and Sharon Kearns.  Not much between these two partnerships in the handicaps and there shouldn’t be too much at the conclusion on the final night either.  Joseph is also in the novice plate singles final, where he will be up against Jane Parker.  Jane defeated young Kevin Burke 11-8, 11-9 in her semi final while Joseph who is improving with every game had a fine 11-6, 11-5 victory over Fiona Phelan in the second semi-final.

Tuesday night next sees the culmination of the local Badminton season with the finals of the New Ross Club Championships taking place in the Vocational College in what should be an excellent night of badminton.  Proceedings begin at 7:30 p.m. and anyone interested in seeing badminton played in various grades from novice to senior are welcome to come along, there is no cover charge.  The full time table of the night activities is as follows:

7:30 p.m.        Novice plate singles

8:00 p.m.        Intermediate and Novice Doubles

8:30 p.m.        Senior and Junior Doubles

9:00 p.m.        Intermediate and Novice singles

9:30 p.m.        Senior and Junior Singles

Coinciding with the club finals is the presentation of the Club Player of the year award.  The award is now in its third consecutive year having been resurrected when the club fortunes improved in recent times.  The magnificent perpetual trophy is a much sought after award and has already been won by Orla Deegan in 2001 and Brian Cullen in 2002.  Orla is again one of the favourites for this years award, and is joined by colleagues Noel Carton, Ralph Stone, Brideen  and Laura Lynch.  All five have had excellent seasons and either one would be a worthy winner.

On the badminton courts there was mixed fortunes for Laura Lynch at the Leinster Open Juvenile championships held in the Baldoyle Badminton Centre last weekend.  Laura and partner Elaine Dunne from Taghmon won the final of the under-15 girls doubles when they defeated Ciara Prendergast and Michelle Barry (Ennis) 15-6, 15-1.  Laura lost the quarterfinals of the under-13 singles when going under to Sarah Milne (Yorkshire) in three sets 4-11, 11-2, 5-11 and was also beaten in the semi-final of the under 13 doubles with partner Kate Mullery losing in three sets to the Kilkenny pairing of Kate McDonald and Claire Moore 5-11, 11-6, 5-11. There was better luck in the mixed doubles where she and partner Luke Moore (Dublin) reached Saturday’s final before losing in three sets to David Tutty and Norma McIntyre (Dublin) 13-11, 6-11, 6-11. 

To conclude the current season and hopefully raise some much needed cash, New Ross Badminton club are hosting a table quiz in the Three Bullet Gate on Wednesday next the 7th May.  Table of 4 costs €20 and all proceeds are in aid of club funds.

There were nine finals down for decision in the New Ross Badminton Club championship finals which took place on Tuesday night last in New Ross Vocational College and as usual there was plenty of excitement to keep the large attendance on there toes, with no one leaving before the final shuttle was struck.   The new name on the Tommy McLoughlin trophy for the senior singles championships is Noel Carton who defeated Christopher McMackin in a scintillating game of badminton 15-13, 15-14.  Adrian Delaney is the Intermediate singles champion with a fine 15-12, 15-7 victory over Andrew Wayland.  Last years novice winner Clodagh McDonald stepped up a grade to win the junior singles, defeating Helen Moore in the final 11-10, 11-1.  Hot favourite for the novice title Valerie Roche duly obliged with an 11-7, 11-3 victory over Joseph Meggs and to complete the night’s singles Jane Parker defeated Joseph Caulfield 11-7, 11-3 in the novice plate final. 

Thirty eight years after winning his first club championship trophy Pat Furlong began yet another collection when he teamed up with Ralph Stone to win the senior doubles title with an impressive 15-9 15-2 victory over Noel Carton and Orla Deegan to prove age is no barrier if the talent is there.  Pat picked up his second trophy of the night in the intermediate doubles, but unfortunately it was a runners-up trophy when he and  Alan Lynch were beaten in three sets by Karen Henessey and Eoin Mernagh 15-14, 8-15, 15-2.  Valerie Roche and Peter Meggs won the junior doubles in a cracking game defeating Cloadagh McDOnald and Greta Meggs 13-8, 12-13, 13-11 and Joseph Caulfield and Bernie Phelan won the novice doubles also in three sets 11-8, 5-11, 11-5 against Theresa Fenlon and Sharon Kearns. 

After a truly outstanding season in which she won provincial titles in three providences Laura Lynch received the club player of the year award, becoming the youngest ever winner of the award.  Club chairman Martin Regan in presenting the award stated that the club now had three players who were capped at provincial level, which as never happened before in the clubs history.                                                                                                        

In the play-off final of the division 2 league the New Ross ladies had to give best to Taghmon who captured the last remaining league title of the season on a 6-4 score line.  Better news for Gusserane who won a most exciting Division 5 knockout final against Ballycogley.  The teams had finished level at 9-9, but on a count back of aces Gusserane were declared champions with 14 aces to spare.

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