A poised Matthew McGann is focused on his game
A range of events took place in different age groups from 35s / 45s / 55s singles, doubles and mixed in mostly round robin formats.
Staring in the 35s age group Enniskillen’s Matthew McGann retained his singles title when he beat Liam Kane from Windsor Tennis Club 7/5, 3/6,10/7 with both men showing great skill and power in a very entertaining final .
The plate final was also of great quality when Clive Funston Enniskillen beat Martin Garrity Irvinestown 9/6.
In the C final Brendan King Irvinestown showed why he almost certainly will move to B Grade next season as he beat Joe Grimes Cavan
6/2, 6/2 with both men giving their all in a entertaining match and for Brendan the Challenge of B tennis next year will prove to be well within his capabilities, Gerry McLaughlin Irvinestown made up the 3rd competitor in the group and pushed both men all the way in his matches.
The 35 Ladies singles final game was also a close affair as Andrea Irvine Irvinestown just beat Vannessa Mc Brien Enniskillen 6/3, 3/6 10/8 with long rallies and tactical play by both ladies resulting in a long tense match a great credit to both as the play was of a high standard , making up the group was Kirsty Murray Irvinestown who played with great effort.
In The Mens 35 Dbls a round robin format proved to be a tough event with some great matches, the decider turned out to be John Maguire and Darren Pearce winners overall beating runner-up Martin Garrity and Andy Moore Omagh 7/6, 6/2, while the ladies Dbls was won by Martina Boyd & Sonja Hateboar Enniskillen with a 6/2, 6/2 win over Mary Cuthbertson and Jenny Nelson Omagh who finished runner-up, the Mixed was won by Matthew McGann and Sonja Hateboar beating Clive Funston and Martina Boyd.
The C Doubles Brendan King and David Lowe beat Joe Grimes and Matthias Winkler Cavan 6/4, 6/3 while Tracey Alexander and Susan Faulkner Butt Hall beat Wendy Eaton and Kirsty Murray Irvinestown 6/2, 2/6,10/6 while making their debut in an event like this Liz McGuinness and Heather Williams Enniskillen played really well pushed the other pairings during their matches .
The C Mixed was won by Joanne Daly and Brendan King Irvinestown in a very competitive group of 4 with the match against Dorren Jones from Milford and David Lowe Irvinestown Runner – up proving to be the vital win 5/7, 6/1,10/4 the other pairings where Joe Grimes and Maxine Leary , Tracey Alexander and Steve Beaumont who both made it a very exciting event.
The 45s Singles again were close encounters with the mens event probably the hardest fought over the 4 days, in the final round of games Darren Pearce, Letterkenny just clinched a good quality match against Doubles partnerJohn Maguire 3/6, 6/4, 12/10 with the match on a knife edge during the tie break and could have gone either way, while battling it out for third place Michael Duffy who showed all his old determination and never say die spirit beat Ken McMillan Cavan 6/4, 6/4 in a hard fought battle.
The Ladies event saw Oonagh Colton defend her title by beating the evergreen and consistant Kathleen Maguire in the final 6/3, 6/0
The Mens 45 Doubles probably had the most exciting match over the tournament when Omagh pair Jimmy McCutcheon and Stephen Cuthbertson narrowly lost to eventual winners Michael Duffy and John Maguire in a competitive but enjoyable match for all four men as they turned back the clocks to old battles when movement might have been a quicker and sharper around the the court , wining the first set 6/2 the Omagh pair got of to a great start but as the Irvinestown pair clawed their way back in the second set saving match point in a close tie break and taking the set 7/6 , eventually clinching the match 10/6 in the championship tie break and a hugh sigh of relief , other pairing of David Mc Dowell and Pete Keogh made up the group with both men playing good tennis in their matches .
The mixed event was won by Oonagh Colton and Jimmy McCutcheon with Rachel Logan and Pete Keogh the runnder- up, making up the group was Maggie Britton and David McDowell, Kathleen Maguire and Gerry Mc Loughlin ,
55s
The Mens Singles had four in the round robin with the eventual overall winner Stephen Cuthbertson from Omagh beating Henry Venzon Butt hall runner -up in the last match 6/0, 6/1 but this match had a lot of very entertaining rallies with Henry using all his skills to move the ball around but Stephen Hard Hitting and fitness proving to much in the end, in the match for 3rd place Edwin Johnston had a good battle with David Lowe before he eventually won 6/4, 6/2.
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