Kerry Badminton Association News by Ruth Concannon
Inter County Honours!
The Brewster Cup Badminton Competition was played in Presentation Hall Killarney Sunday 08 March. The Kerry Badminton Team who took part and won the Brewster Cup were as follows,
Front Row L/R,… Jennifer Keane, Niamh Hickey, Elaine Hudson, Maeve Twomey, Niamh Flaherty, Donnacha Moloney. Back Row L/R,….Alan Nelligan, Michael Crosson, Fergal Hannon, Donie Enright, Tom Bourke, Sinead Galvin, Mary Falvey, Team Manager. Photo by Tom Bradley
The Presentation School hall in Killarney was the venue on Sunday the 8th of March for the Munster Brewster Cup competition. Kerry’s senior team on the day was Sinead Galvin, Maeve Twomey, Elaine Hudson, Niamh Flaherty, Jennifer Keane, Niamh Hickey, Alan Nelligan, Fergal Hannon, Mike Crossan, Donie Enright, Donnacha Moloney and Tom Bourke. With three teams entered, (Kerry, Cork and Tipperary), Munster trialled a new format.
All three matches were played simultaneously in a winner takes all finish. Kerry were playing both Cork and Tipperary at the same time, racing to a great start they went 4-1 up against Cork while at the same time took a 2-1 lead against Tipp.
Niamh Flaherty next took her singles in both matches and with the Kerry pairings taking all three mixed they galloped to a 7-2 win over Cork with the Tipperary match ending up 6-3 to the Kingdom and the Brewster Cup win!
The Munster Juvenile Un 13 Inter-County Badminton Competition took place UL Limerick Sunday 08 March
This photo shows Kerry Un 13 Team who were runners up on the day along with their Manager Tom McElligott, Michael McGrath President Munster Badminton & Jill Redmond, Coach. Photo by Tom Bradley
Kerry’s Juvenile teams were also in Inter County action in UL on Sunday. Kerry entered two U13 teams and two U17 teams (A & B teams). The Kerry U13 (A) lost very narrowly to Cork in their game and the Kerry U13 (B) team were 2nd to Cork overall. Kerry U17(A) were runners up to Cork in their group while Kerry U17 (B) came 3rd.
Great results for the Kerry teams and thanks to all the hard-working Kerry coaches: Michelle, Jill, Tom & Mary Bradley, Paddy and the parents who supported them during the year.
Friday night’s CPC.ie sponsored Kerry Championship action was the Division 1, 3 and 5 Mixed doubles competitions. There was much anticipation in Division 3 where a win for the pairing of Deina Vasko and Jack McElligott, both of Listowel club, would see both players taking the championship treble for the season.
The first final of the night was to be the Division 3 decider and for the third time this year Deina and Jaeb Workman (Killarney) faced off over the net in a championship final. Deina and Jack took the title in two sets defeating Jaeb and her club partner Kieran Crehan. Congratulations to both players on winning all three titles in Division 3.
Division 5 saw Charlotte Quinn (Moyvane) and her partner Brian Hehir (Ballyheigue) take on Danielle Noonan and Mark Allen from Ballybunion Baseliners. In the opening set Brian and Charlotte took a commanding lead only to see Danielle and Mark fight back to level the set at 17 all.
Seeing out the set 21-19 Brian and Charlotte went into the second set more confident and took the set and the title. After celebrating the win Charlotte then turned to cheering on her sister Saorcha who was contesting the Division 1 mixed final.
Reigning Champion Tom Bourke (Kingdom Castleisland) and his partner Niamh Hickey (Killarney) took on Saorcha Fitzgerald (Moyvane) and her partner Eric Nelligan (Kingdom Castleisland) in the Division 1 final.
In an extremely close first set Saorcha and Eric took the lead with a 21-19 win. The second set saw them in the lead up until 17 when the set drew level. It stayed tit for tat all the way up to 22 all then Saorcha and Eric managed to pull ahead and take the set, game and championship with a 24-22 win.
At the Mixed Doubles CPC .ie sponsored Badminton Championships which were held Killarney Sports & Leisure Centre. This photograph shows the Winners of the Division 1 Mixed Doubles Championships, L/R,.. Eric Nelligan, Kingdom Castleisland , & Saoirse Fitzgerald. Moyvane being presented with the division 1 mixed doubles Cup by Carmel Hudson Secretary Kerry Badminton along with runners up Niamh Hickey, Killarney & Tom Bourke, KingdomCastleisland. Photo by Tom Bradley
The final round of the championships takes place on the 27th of March in the Killarney Sports and Leisure centre with the Division 2 and 4 mixed titles to be decided. League finals will also be played over the coming weeks so plenty of action still to come.
