The penultimate rounds of the CPC.IE sponsored Kerry Badminton County Championships took place at the Killarney Sports Centre on Friday night last and what a wonderful night of Badminton action it proved to be. Titles up for grabs were the mixed doubles championships for divisions 1,3 and 5 and with almost one hundred players competing between the 3 divisions the whole programme took almost 4 hours to complete in this wonderful 8 badminton court venue.
The division one decider saw its own bit of Kerry Badminton history being made. In this final the champions of the past two seasons Mary Falvey and Eric Nelligan both of the Kingdom Club, Castleisland were confronted by Ciara O’Connor (Dingle) and Tom Bourke (Kingdom).
This proved to be a very close hard fought battle but the overall standard of play did not live up to expectations with the normal long hard fought rallies one would expect from these players conspicuous by their absence. Set number one was score for score with the sides level at 7 all, 13 all, 14 all and 16 all but O’Connor/ Bourke finished the stronger and won the set by 21-17.
The second set was almost a carbon copy of the first with the lead changing sides several times but the sides were level at 4 all, 6 all and 7 all. Falvey/ Nelligan began to control the game at this point and led by 12-9 but point number 11 for O’Connor/Bourke resulted from the best smash of the match by Bourke which helped his side to be level again at 13 all.
It proved again to be point for point with the pairs again level at 14 all, 16 all and 17 all but now it was the turn of the champions elect, O’Connor and Bourke to dominate the game and they went to a 20-17 lead with point number 19 being a classic passing smash shot from Bourke and they eventually won the set and title on the scoreline of 21-18
Where the Kerry history was made was that it was the first time at division 1 level that two players had completed the treble of championship wins in the same division within the same season.
Both O’Connor and Bourke had already won their respective singles and doubles titles this season, Miss O’Connor with Edel Broderick in the ladies doubles and Bourke with Eric Nelligan in the mens doubles but for a double treble to be won within the same division in the same season is a rare occurrence. In the Kerry jubilee book published in 2011 the records show that this feat of the double treble being won within the same division has only been accomplished twice before between the years of 1968 and 2011.
The double treble was captured in 1973 by Listowel’s Maura Kenny and Sean Comerford in the Beginners grade and in 1990 by Killorglins Dolores Doyle and Colm Kennedy at the division 3 grade so Ciara O’Connor and Tom Bourke are only the third pair ever to achieve this double-treble feat and the first to do so at division 1.
Both the division 3 and 5 finals were classic 3 set encounters. In the division 5 final the Moyvane pairing of Olivia Hanrahan and Michael Collins took on the Ballyheigue/Causeway pairing of Kilkenny native Lillian Holmes and James O’Mahony. The first set was a close well fought game which saw the Moyvane pairing just edge the verdict by 21-18.
The second set was equally hard fought. Ballyheigue and Causeway may be hurling rivals over the years but Ms Holmes and O’Mahony certainly gelled together on the badminton court last Friday night.
The sides were level at 17 points each but it was the Ballyheigue/ Causeway pairing that finished the stronger and won the set by 21-19. That third and final set saw the sides level at 9 all but from there on it was Holmes/ O’Mahony that took control of the game with the cross court smash shots by Ms Holmes being a feature of the game and each and every one of them proved to be winning points which saw this Ballyheigue and Causeway combination win the County title by 21-14 in that third and final set to the delight of their very many supporters.
The division 3 championship had 19 pairs competing and this final was the last one of the night to be played after over 4 hours of action The pairs who battled their way to this final were Maggie Prendeville and recent mens singles winner Aidan McCarthy representing the Castleisland Club and their opponents were Carmel Hudson Moyvane, and Polish native Mariusz Tusinski who now resides in Tralee and is a member of the local County club, indeed just a few weeks ago Mariusz won the division 3 mens doubles title with Moyvane’s James Sheehan.
In a tight first set it was the Moyvane /Tralee combination that came good winning by 21-15 but a tighter second set the Castleisland pairing turned the tables and levelled the tie winning by 21-17. In a frantic third se decider the sides were level at 6 all and at 10 all but then the Castleisland pair hit a purple patch and led by 18-13 and at 19-16. It looked all over but how many times have we heard the catch phrase of”Its not over til the fat lady sings”.
Slowly Hudson/Tusinski narrowed the gap and suddenly the sides were level at 19 all and the tension was electrifying. Hudson/ Tusinski went to match point at 20-19 but fair play to Castleisland they fought back to level the set at 20 each with now who ever would go 2 points in front would win the title and that proved to be Carmel Hudson and Mariusz Tusinski who won the set and title by 22-20.
As stated it was the second championship win of the current season for Tusinski and the third title at this division for Mrs Hudson, who won her first division 3 mixed title back in 1994 with Listowel’s Tom McElligott but no doubt, the gallant Castleisland pairing of Maggie Prendeville and Aidan McCarthy will be kicking themselves for letting this one slip away.
The final act of this years County Championships will take place at the Killarney Centre on this coming Friday night April 8th commencing at 7.45 pm.The programme is the division 2 and 4 mixed doubles and all players are requested to check in on time.
League Finals;
The last of the County league finals which commenced before Christmas will be played in the Castleisland Community Centre on this Wed. night April 6th at 8.15 pm. The finals to be played are the division 2 and 4 ties and these will see Moyvane and Killarney contest the division 2 decider and Iveragh will take on Moyvane in the division 4. final Patrons are advised that there is a cover charge entrance of €5 for both of these finals.
Kerry Juveniles;
The curtain comes down on the Kerry Juvenile programme also this coming Saturday with the mixed doubles for all age groups to commence at 11 am. As this promises to be a huge event all players are requested to sign in by 10.45 am
The now annual juvenile art competition will again take place this Saturday but all budding artists are requested to have their entries to the juvenile County Secretary, Mrs Carmel Hudson not later than this Thursday as it is hoped to have all entries on display in the Killarney hall on Friday night. All are welcome to come and see the entries which are to be based on a badminton theme
Munster doubles winners
The winners of each doubles County championships in each Munster County will meet in Limerick on Sunday next to find the overall Munster winner in each division to commence at 10 am. Best wishes are extended to all the Kerry competitors.
Inter county
The Badminton Inter County finals were played in Limerick on Saturday last and Kerry were represented by their Grade G team who recently captured Munster honours. However, there was no Kerry joy on Saturday last as in the round robin playoff Kerry fell to both Galway and Meath.
The full Kerry squad was; Christine Quirke, Paula O’Sullivan,Aoife Moloney, Maria O’Connor, Louise Behan, Jamie Elliott (Capt), Brendan McGovern, Ger O’Connor, Aidan Evans and Alan Falvey. Team Manager; Jennifer Keane.