By Colm Griffin
All- Ireland Grade D Championships
One week after winning the Division 1 Kerry County Ladies Doubles Championship title for the first time Maeve Twomey (Killarney) and Elaine Hudson (Moyvane) are making the headlines again this week but this time for achievements at National level as opposed local level.
Played at Baldoyle Badminton Centre in Dublin rather strangely the Hudson and Twomey partnership faced fellow All- Kerry partnership Niamh Hickey (Killarney) and Patricia O Herilihy (Listowel) in their opening contest of the All-Ireland Championships. This proved to be a good three set contest with Twomey and Hudson winning 21-19, 16-21, 21-14.
They won their quarter final match 21-14, 21-18 before winning their semi-final clash 24-22, 21-16. But the final won’t be play until May 18th and it will take place at the new National Indoor Arena in Blanchardstown the same night the Kerry Badminton social takes place at the Rose Hotel in Tralee.
But Twomey was not finished at that. She teamed up with Paul Kingston (Cork) to reach the final of the Mixed competition also beating Donie Enright (Moyvane) and Ruth Concannon (Kingdom Castleisland) along the way. This sets up a nice chance of an All-Ireland double for Kerry in May and something extra to cheer about at the social.
Munster U-13 & u-17 Closed Championships
The Munster Un 17 Boys Doubles Badminton Championships were held in UL, Limerick Sunday 24 February. This photograph shows the winners of the Boys UN 17 Munster Doubles Championships
L/R, Cathal Donovan, Christopher O’Donoghue winners along with Jack McElligott, and Oisin Moloney who also took part in the competition. Photo by Tom Bradley
Kerry again enjoyed plenty of success at Juvenile level in Munster last weekend. Christopher O Donoghue (Moyvane) defeated Cathal Donovan (Annascaul) in the Boys U-17 singles championships before teaming up with him to win the Doubles title. Later in the day O Donoghue put up a spirited performance in a bid to win a treble on the day by reaching the final of the Mixed event but he and his partner Naoise Murtagh when down in the final to Mattie O Flynn and Sinead O Sullivan.
In the Girls U-17 event Listowel pairing Madison Carter and Deina Vesko reached the final. Indeed Vesko also reached the semi-final of both the singles event and the Mixed event with playing partner Jack McElligott (Listowel)
The Munster Un 17 Girls Doubles Badminton Championships were held UL, Limerick Sunday 24 February. This photograph shows Runners Up from Kerry of the Girls Doubles Munster Championships Deina Vesko, Madison Carter, Listowel. Photo by Tom Bradley
However the McElligott family were celebrating as younger brother Oscar won the Division 2 Boys U-13 Singles event. Credit most also go to Sinead Kelly (Listowel) who reached two finals in the U-13 Division 2 section. She lost the girls doubles final with Amelia Kiely and the mixed final with Conor Murphy.
CPC.ie Kerry County Doubles Championships
The Kerry County Senior Championships continue this Friday night (March 1st) when the Division 2 and Division 4 Ladies and Men’s titles will be up for the grabs. The action gets underway at the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre from 7.30pm
Paddy Sugrue Badminton Tournament
The Paddy Sugrue Badminton Tournament takes place at Tralee Sports Complex in aid of the Chernobyl Children’s Trust Tralee and District branch this Sunday (March 3rd). Please enter through your club secretary or to Tom Clear, Gurrane, Listellick, Tralee by Friday March 1st. Division 5 starts at 12 noon. Division 4 at 2pm. Division 3 commences at 3.30pm and Division 2 at 4.30pm. Plate competitions are included.
Latest League Results
Suits Select Men’s League Div 1 & 2
Kingdom 7 Moyvane 2
CPC Mixed Leagues
Div 2
Killarney 5 Moyvane 2
Div 3
Listowel 6 Kingdom 1
Div 4
Listowel (B) 5 Killarney 2
Listowel (A) 7 Causeway 0
Killarney 4 Kingdom 3
Ashes Bar, Glenbeigh Div 5 League
Men’s League
Killarney 3 Listowel 1
Ballyheigue (B) 4 Listowel 0
Moyvane 0 Causeway 4
Ladies League
Moyvane (A) 4 Listowel (B) 0
Moyvane (B) 0 Ballyheigue 4
Killarney 4 Listowel 0
Upcoming Events (All Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre unless stated)
Friday March 1st Div 2 and Div 4 Kerry Ladies and Men’s Doubles Championships
Saturday March 2nd Juvenile Club Tournament
Sunday March 3rd Paddy Sugrue Tournament (Tralee Sports and Leisure Complex)
Saturday March 9th Juvenile Mixed Doubles
