Munster Club Championships
Five Kerry club teams made the trip to the University of Limerick on bank holiday Monday (May 6th) to represent the county in the Munster Club Championship Finals.
In the D Grade Listowel were the Kerry representatives. After overcoming the Country Club from Tipperary 4 – 0 they effectively faced Cork club Carrigaline in the decider as the Cork team had also beaten the Tipp side earlier in the morning.
Patricia O Herlihy got Listowel off to a great start in the Ladies Doubles but Carrigaline responded by winning the Men’s singles. The Cork side also won the Ladies doubles but Paddy Redmond and Alan Nelligan won the men’s doubles to tie the match 2-2 going into the Mixed.
Nelligan then teamed up with Mairead Regan to win their mixed game and Paddy Redmond and Valerie Guiney came up just short after a battling performance so it was 3-3 and the third mixed game featuring Fergal Hannon and Patricia O Herlihy went down to the very final set.
Unfortunately the Cork side prevailed in the decider taking the contest and the Munster title 4 -3
The Kingdom Club from Castleisland were the Kerry representatives in Grade E. Tipperary club Nenagh were the opposition in the semi-final and whilst they put up a good fight victory for the Kerry side never looked in doubt as they eventually took it 5 – 1.
Carrigaline of Cork overcame Limerick club Tourin in the other semi-final so it was another Cork versus Kerry final.
Kingdom through Niamh Hickey won the ladies singles but it was 3 – 1 to Carrigaline going into the mixed as the took the other three games. Kingdom fought very well in the mixed but it was not to be as it proved a great day for the Cork club taking the C, D and E grades.
Listowel lost out in the quarter final to host club and eventual Grade F champions the University of Limerick despite a good showing by ladies doubles pairing Jill Redmond and Valerie Guiney who won their game 21-14, 21-11 meanwhile the Moyvane H team got off to a good start with Eva Browne winning her singles game but Cork club Innishannon were too strong in the end. Limerick club Shuttle however beat them in the final.
So last team in action on the day was the Moyvane grade G team. In a very exciting semi-final they eventually just got over the line 4 – 3 against Modeligo of Waterford and then faced Tipperary club Templemore in the final. The Tipp club took but singles games comfortably but Moyvane rallied in the doubles and though the Men lost out Maire Kennelly and Michelle Corridon keep the match alive winning the ladies double game. It was all down to the mixed now and although Barry O Callaghan and Maire Kennelly in particularly put in a great effort in their game it was not to be Moyvane’s day as the Tipperary team took the first mixed game and the Grade G Munster title.
So no Munster titles for Kerry but in finishing runners-up in three of the five grade the county contested it was a good day non the least.
Kerry County League Mixed Finals
The four Kerry county league finals took place over two nights Monday April 29th in Annascaul and Wednesday May 1st in Castleisland.
The Division 2 final between Listowel and Kingdom got off to a thrilling start as both singles matches went to three sets with both with each side taking a point.
Kingdom got on top in the doubles and took a 3 -1 lead into the mixed. But Brid Murphy and Aidan McCarthy of Kingdom took the second mixed to clinch the Div 2 title for Kingdom 4 – 2 a first for the club since 2015.
Listowel who had teams in 3 of the 4 finals this year also contested the division 3 decider against Killarney a few nights later. After winning both singles they also took the ladies doubles and a 3 – 1 lead into the mixed. Killarney never quite looked like turning the deficit around eventually losing out 5 – 2.
The Division 4 final saw a derby fixture between local rivals Moyvane and Listowel. Moyvane took both the singles and they ladies doubles to take a 3 – 0 lead. Listowel battled bravely in the Men’s Doubles but eventually lost out in three sets to Moyvane pairing Liam O Connor and John Newman meaning the mixed games would be irrelevant to the overall result. It was 4 in a row of Division 4 titles for Moyvane as they picked up the recently named Mike Corridon Cup called after their own clubman who has served both his club and county in badminton matters with great distinction for many years.
Moyvane were also involved in the Division 5 final against a Ballyheigue team that have never won a Division 5 title before and have indeed rarely reached the final before. They got off to a nervy start losing the ladies singles to Eva Browne of Moyvane but when Aidan Reidy won the Men’s singles it was met with a thunderous ovation from the onlooking Ballyheigue supporters. Moyvane took the ladies doubles but Ballyheigue ensured the scores were all aboard again winning the Mens doubles.
It would ultimately all go down to the third mixed game Moyvane took the first mixed but Ballyheigue responded again to take the second mixed. Moyvane were in the privileged position at this point to able to call upon Padraig Hanrahan who had won a county title earlier in the season and Charlotte Quinn who had reached a county final. This experience was definitely a telling factor against a very game Alan O Hallorahan and Michelle Corr who put in a battling performance but the Moyvane pairing took it in two sets and the Kerry title 4 – 3.
They had been beaten by Kingdom in the 2018 final so Ballyheigue can perhaps take encouragement from that fact and bounce back and go one better in 2020.
Kerry Badminton Social
The Kerry Badminton Association end of season social takes part on May 18th at the Rose Hotel, Tralee. Tickets now available through club secretaries.
