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O’Connor team wins marathon league
Tommy Rochford, from Kilkenny Tennis club, who will be heading off to the World Veterans Tennis Championships, pictured with Pat Brett, Captain, Joe Kelly, President and Reena O'Connor, Membership Secretary. (Photo: Eoin Hennessy/www.ehp.ie)
The Langton Winter Team League reached a climax on Friday night when Team B, led by Rena O’Connor, faced Team F, captained by Rory McGovern.
The O’Connor selection started well. Ivan Powell and Helen Fitzgerald beat Tom Nolan and Sue Keohane 10-6. In the subsequent match the deficiency was reduced when Claire Pryal and Lyn Guilfoyle had the narrowest of margins to spare over their opponents, 10-9.
In the next match Eoin Maher and Claire Roberts overcame Rory McGovern and Amy Keating 10-6 to add to the O’Connor team’s surplus. In the subsequent match matters were reversed as Val Nolan and Dor Keane had three games to spare over Nora Darcy and Elaine Brett.
With half of the matches completed, only four games separated the two teams in favour of Team B.
Vinny McIntyre, no stranger to finals, joined forces with Ruth McGree to reduce the deficit to one game by virtue of victory over Bill Rafter and Mary Conway. John Dalton and Ann Walton steadied the O’Connor ship with a victory over Trevor Darlington and Miriam Kelly.
In the next encounter Rena O’Connor and Colin Shaw achieved maximum games in their victory over Brendan Lee and Sabrina Bass. The final match proved was a long, entertaining and exciting affair. Fergal Conway and Deirdre O’Neill eventually overcame the winning team’s representatives, P.J. Trait and Sheila O’Mahony in a tiebreak, 10-8.
It was not until this match was completed that Rena O’Connor’s team could be declared the winners. This was a spectacular achievement. This league stretched from early October until last weekend.
This week Tommy Rochford, a member of the Irish over 35 veterans team, participates in the World Championships in San Diego, California. This is a huge honour for Tommy, a proud representative of the club.
Following several victories in a number of domestic events, Tommy earned the honour to win representative honours. His many victories are impressive – Kilkenny and Clonmel Open singles, Irish indoor over 35 singles, South of Ireland over 35 singles and doubles and Munster clay court over 35 singles and doubles.
While he will be competing in ideal weather, the hardcourt surface will be a change for him. The competition is expected to be intense, but Tommy has prepared well and he is ready.
The draw for The Frostbite doubles league is posted on the club notice board. Initially, participants should enter their mobile phone numbers to help get things moving easier.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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