Kerry Badminton Association News

What an action packed Badminton week it was, the final week of competition in the Kerry Badminton Association programme in the 2015/2016 season. Four league finals were decided plus the last instalment of the Kerry Championships which were the the mixed doubles championships for divisions 2 and 4 with both the league and championship competitions sponsored by CPC.IE

CHAMPIONSHIPS; 

Friday night last was the closing night of the CPC.IE sponsored Badminton championships for another season and what a finale it proved to be with 12 pairs taking part in the division 2 mixed doubles championships and no less than 26 pairs competing in the division 4 mixed doubles championships.

Like most events in recent times the Moyvane club held a strong hand in last Friday nights championships and indeed, the division 2 final proved to be an all Moyvane confrontation with the sister and brother teenage pairing of Niamh and James Flaherty taking on Elaine Hudson and Donnacha Moloney..

The first set saw the Flaherty’s take a 8-3 lead but Hudson /Moloney fought back to be level at 10 all and indeed they went in front to lead at 16-14 but the sides were again all square at 16 all and also at 20 all which called for the tie break but it was the sister and brother partnership that took the set by 22-20.

The second set saw the sides level on no less than 5 times but it was now Hudson/Moloney that was setting the pace and eventually the set was theirs on the scoreline of 21-17 to level the match at one set each. The start of set number 3 saw the sides again level at 2 points each but it was in this set that James Flaherty showed his vast talent with his back hand cross shots being the feature of the game and most of them were winning points and with Niamh prominent around the net and despite the best efforts of Hudson/Moloney the Flaherty’s went on to take the title by 21-12.

What a year on the championship front James Flaherty is having as Friday nights win completes the treble championships for this player in division 2 this year having already won the doubles with Castleisland’s Jonathan Keane whilst Niamh Flaherty won her second championship of the year on Friday night as she had earlier won the division 3 ladies doubles with Listowel’s Michelle Kearney.

In the Badminton report last week it featured 3 pairs of players who had won the double treble, that is for two players to win the treble within the same division in the same season. You can now make that 4 pairs of winners of the double treble as James Flaherty of Moyvane and Maeve Twomey of Killarney did this rare achievement also, in division 3, just two years ago in 2014. In the mens doubles in 2014 James Flaherty was partnered by Jonathan Keane, Castleisland and in the ladies doubles Maeve Twomey was partnered by Lisa Sayers of Annascaul.

After some hectic play and long rallies throughout this huge competition the division 4 final on Friday night was contested by the Killarney pairing of Hylda Harman and Liam Barry and they were opposed by the Castleisland/Moyvane pairing Michelle Beazley and Jamie Elliott. With Miss Beazley busy as a bee and foraging around the net with great effect coupled by the very talented Elliott who policed the rear of the court in fine style the Castleisland/Moyvane pairing were always in command of both sets despite the gallant effort of the Killarney pairing and captured the title by 21-10; 21-14.

LEAGUE FINALS

The Ballyheigue Club hosted the division 3 and 5 league finals on Tuesday night last before a large attendance and it was Moyvane against Killarney in both events. Extraordinary, both clubs were going for five in a row in these two divisions, and more extraordinary still, both clubs achieved this fantastic goal.

In the division 3 final Moyvane won the first 3 games to put themselves in a strong position to retain their crown but the Killarney mens doubles pairing kept their hopes alive when winning a thrilling encounter, however the title stayed in Moyvane when their first mixed doubles pairing of Carmel Hudson and James Sheehan overcame Killarney’s Sandra O’Connor and Brian McSweeney in a close 3 set hard fought battle.

Moyvane; Niamh Flaherty, Helen Brown, Fran Collins (capt) Carmel Hudson, Timmy Noonan,James Sheehan,John Mulvihill, Chris McCarthy.

Killarney; Niamh Hickey, Siobhan O’Donoghue, Sam Hayes,Sandra O’Connor, Ger O’Connor, Brian McSweeney (capt), Kieran Crehan,

In a most exciting division 5 final Killarney took the ladies singles but Moyvane levelled by winning the mens singles.The same pattern followed in the even doubles matches. Killarney took the ladies doubles in a 2 set encounter but in a thrilling mens doubles match Moyvane levelled the tie again by taking a close third set by 21-18.

It was the 1st and 3rd mixed doubles games that swung the game in favour of Killarney but both matches had to go to the third set for decision and the honour of clinching the title for Killarney went to Rebecca Murphy and 75 year young John O’Halloran, what an outstanding example this man is for players many years his junior.
Killarney; Rebecca Murphy, Jessica Galvin, Elaina Galvin, Diam Fitzgerald (capt), Daniel O’Connor, Jordan O’Connor

Moyvane; Marie Kennelly, Aoife Curtin, Charlotte Quirke,Olivia Quirke, Liam Greaney, Michael Collins, Oliver Carmody (capt), Michael Nolan

The action switched to the Community Centre Castleisland the following night Wednesday April 6th for the division 2 and 4 League finals.The division 2 decider was between Killarney and Moyvane whilst the div. 4 decider once again saw Moyvane in contention, this time against the South Kerry standard bearers, Iveragh.

The opening match in the division 2 final was the ladies singles and what a wonderful 3 set encounter this proved to be with Killarney’s Sinead Galvin, the current Munster junior champion, taking on 15 year old Niamh Flaherty. The Killarney lady won by 13-21; 22-20; 21-14 but that’s as good as it got for Killarney as a classy Moyvane side reeled in the next 4 games to give them a 4-1 victory.

Moyvane; Niamh Flaherty, Elaine Hudson, Jeanelle Griffin, Carmel Hudson, James Flaherty, Timmy Duggan (capt), Donnacha Moloney, Donie Enright

Killarney; Sinead Galvin; Maeve Twomey, Jennifer Keane, Peggy Horan (capt) John O’Brien, Paudie Horan, Evan Horan , Kieron Crehan

The play in the division 4 final was almost a carbon copy of the division 2 decider. The ladies singles game between Moyvane’s Louise Behan and Christine Quirke of Iveragh was a close hard fought match with the Iveragh lady coming from behind in the second set to clinch victory by 21-9; 21-17, but like the division 2 final a talented Moyvane side took over and they captured the next 4 games to forge a 4-1 victory.

Moyvane; Louise Behan, Michelle Corridan, Denise Collins, Eileen McCarthy, Jamie Elliott, Padraig Kearney (capt), Timmy Flaherty, John Newman
Iveragh; Christine Quirke, Sue Weatherill, Susan O’Connell, Mike Reardon (capt), Joe Daly, Sean Bradley

The overall League programme saw a Moyvane domination once again with the club capturing the divisions 2,3 and 4 titles and Killarney retaining the division 5 crown. All 4 teams will represent Kerry in the Munster Club finals to be played in Limerick on Sunday next April 17th and best wishes is extended to each player of all 4 reams.

MUNSTER DOUBLES FINALS

Sunday last saw the winners of each Munster County doubles championships congregate in Limerick to define the overall Munster champions and what a wonderful day it proved to be for the Kerry competitors with many gold and silver medals crossing the Kerry border. Played on the round robin basis the following are the Kerry results
In the Grade C section Tom Bourke and Eric Nelligan won silver, pipped by 1 point for the gold in Grade D, Fergal Hannon and James Leane won the gold; and also in Grade D Elaine Hudson and Maeve Twomey captured silver in the Ladies doubles.

In Grade E in the mens doubles James Flaherty and Jonathan Keane won gold while James teamed up with his sister Niamh Flaherty to capture gold in the Grade E mixed doubles. Niamh Flaherty also brought home a silver medal when partnered by Michelle Kearney in the Grade F ladies doubles competition.

Grade F saw Carmel Hudson and Mariusz and Tusinski win gold whilst in Grade H Kerry’s Lillian Holmes and James O’Mahony won gold in the mixed doubles. Castleisland’s Michelle Beazley,, who on Friday night last won the Kerry division 4 mixed doubles with Moyvane’s Jamie Elliott, is a student in Cork and recently won the Cork grade G ladies doubles championships and on Sunday last,representing Cork she won gold in the Munster Grade G doubles with her partner on the day, Kilkenny native, Cait Broderick.

Overall, it was a good day for Kerry Badminton.

A reminder to all in the Badminton fraternity that the Kerry Badminton Association’s Annual Rewards night and Social will be held in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Saturday night May 14th. This years social will be hosted by the Ballyheigue Badminton Club. All championship and league winners will be presented with their cups and trophies on the night.

Tickets can now be booked through club secretaries and patrons are requested to book in time as final numbers must be known by 2 weeks before the event

JUVENILES

The Kerry Badminton juvenile programme also concluded last weekend with the mixed doubles for all age groups with another large entry competing

Results as follows

U11 Mixed

Ellie Ava Liston and Eddie Healy Listowel defeated Pia Hickey Killarney and Ruadhan Donovan Annascaul 21/15, 21/16

U11 Plate

Mary Casey and Padraig Moriarty Annascaul defeated Stephanie Reid and Aidan Fahy Annascaul

U13 Mixed

Adele O’Brien Killarney and Christopher O’Donoghue Moyvane defeated Deina Vesko and Jack McElligott Listowel 21/8, 21/11

U13 Plate

Ciara Knightly and Tom Hoare Annascaul defeated Holly Sayers Annascaul and Philip Healy Listowel

U15 Mixed

Jemi John County (Tralee) and Niall O’Brien Killarney defeated Ciara Hudson Moyvane and Kevin Keane Kingdom (Castleisland) 11/21, 21/14, 21/15

U15 Plate

Eva Browne Moyvane and Max Walsh Killarney defeated Aoife Bowler and Greg Horan Moyvane

U17 Mixed

Niamh Flaherty Moyvane and Jebin John, County defeated Rachel O’Connor and Brian O’Connor Dingle 21/18, 21/8

Juvenile Art Competition

The Kerry Badminton juvenile committee held their art competition again this year which is based on a Badminton theme and overall there was a good entry

Results as follows

Overall and under 13 winner;

Deina Vesko, Listowel; Under 13, 2nd place; Konrad Kloskowski, Kingdom, Castleisland

Under 11, Girls;

Ist place; Bella Harmon, Kingdom, Castleisland; Under 11 Girls 2nd Place; Fia Spillane, Annascaul ; 3rd Place; Aine Shine, Moyvane

1st place; Aidan Fahy, Annascaul; 2nd Place; Fionn Spillane, Annascaul; ; 3rd Place; Aidan McSweeney, Kingdom, Castleisland

Under 15 Girls;

1st place; Ciara Hudson, Moyvane

Under 17 Winner;

Wiktoria Kupiel, Kingdom, Castleisland