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Southwest Leinster AGM:
The AGM of the Southwest Leinster Badminton League will be held in the new parochial hall, Athy, on May 8 at 8.30. The new hall is directly across the road from the old hall. Any club in the league this year, and hoping to play next year must have a representative at the meeting or face a substantial fine.
Rahan and Bough Make History
The history of Southwest Leinster League Badminton was rewritten on 6 April, in Athy RFC when Bough and Rahan played a 4-all draw in the Division 4 Final. Never before had a draw occurred that couldn’t be resolved. Both teams scored 4 wins each, in 8 sets each and 177 points each. The fact that Rahan played off a –8 and Bough started at scratch posed a slight problem, which was easily resolved. In a handicap competition when counting scores, the points scored to reach 0 are ignored, and if a team finishes with a minus score, the results are treated as 15/0. Camilla Dunne and Dolores Sheerin led off in 1st Ladies for Rahan against Sheila Landon and Irene Higginson. Rahan won 15/9, 15/9. David James and Andy Owens, Bough, outscored Pat McElduff and James Christie, Rahan 15/6, 15/12.The score after 2 games, 1 game apiece, 2 sets apiece, and incredibly, 48 scores each, but nobody was counting yet. Rahan gained the upper hand in 2nd ladies when Geraldine Jones and Ellen Flynn defeated Sandra James and Rosemary Adamson 15/11, 15/2. Back came Bough in 2nd men’s with Trevor Tutty and Joe Collier defeating Carthage Byrne and Frank Ryan 15/12, 15/10. A quick score check showed Rahan slightly ahead, 2 games, 4 sets and 100 points to 2 games, 4 sets, and 91 points. Bough surged ahead after 1st Mixed when David James and Rosemary Adamson outscored Dolores Sheerin and Carthage Byrne 15/2, 15/11. The 2nd Mixed pair for Rahan, Camilla Dunne and Pat McElduff, pulled back the match for Rahan with a 15/5, 15/10 win against Andy Owens and Sheila Landon. Now the score stood at 3 games each, 6 sets each but Rahan ahead of Bough 143 to 138 on individual scores. Third Mixed started and the tension was starting to build. Ellen Flynn and Frank Ryan, Rahan, struggled their entire game against Trevor Tutty and Sandra Jones, Bough. The Bough pair won 15/4, 15/-1. Some quick addition put Bough ahead 1 games, 2 sets, but importantly, 21 points. Did the teams know what they needed to do before the 4th Mixed began? The League Secretary, Loftus Warren, thinks not. According to Loftus, the teams seemed genuinely surprised at the results. As an outside observer, I would think that Rahan knew the score. Off a base of 147 points, the most that Rahan could win was 177. In order to win the match, they had to hold Bough to less than 9 points. Geraldine Jones and James Christie worked very hard to limit Bough players Joe Collier and Irene Higginson to 5 points. To win the match for Rahan, Geraldine and James had to limit Bough to 3 points, and to secure victory for Bough, Joe and Irene had to score at least 5 points. Both sides failed in their bid to win, and the remarkable, unheard of, and historic draw occurred—4 games, 8 sets, and 177 points each.
Grade 4 Replay: What a difference a change of date and a change of venue can make in a result. Each team had one change of personnel; for Bough, Dermot Finlay replaced Joe Collier, and for Rahan, Bernie Molloy replaced Ellen Flynn. Camilla Dunne and Dolores Sheerin in 1st Ladies started the match with an even better results for Rahan than in the drawn game with a 15/2, 15/6 win against Sheila Landon and Irene Higginson, Bough. David James and Andy Owens, Bough, followed on with 15/2, 15/11 wins again Pat McElduff and James Christie, Rahan. Rahan were slightly ahead after 2 games, 43 scores to 38. Here, the old script was abandoned and a new one began. Bough won 2nd Ladies when Sandra James and Rosemary Adamson outscored the Rahan pair of Geraldine Jones and Bernie Molloy 15/9, 15/-3. Carthage Byrne and Frank Ryan, Rahan, tried to stick to the new script by winning the first set in 2nd Men’s 15/12, but Bough supremacy prevailed with sets of 15/-1 and 15/10. Dolores Sheerin and Carthage Byrne were not at the races in 1st Mixed against David James and Rosemary Adamson. Bough won 15/2, 15/1. Camilla Dunne and Pat McElduff, Rahan, were confident going on court against Andy Owens and Sheila Landon, Bough. The Rahan pair had a solid win the first time around, but Bough were very hungry for victory. Andy and Sheila won the first set 15/11. Camilla and Pat snatched victory in the second set 15/14, but dropped the third set for Rahan 15/10. This score gave Bough a well-deserved 5 games to 1 victory, and the Grade 4 Cup title.
Grade 1: Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, -10, met Portarlington Parochial, -3, in the Grade 1 final. A subtraction of handicaps left Carlow starting at –7 and Portarlington at scratch. Dawn Cobbe and Lorraine Hill, PP, made a mockery of the handicaps with a 15/3, 15/-4 win against Mirian Walsh and Ellen Cassells, CLTC. Mark Cobbe and Wayne Carter continued the Portarlington on slaught with a 15/-6 win in the first set of 1st Men. Andrew Harte and Colm Byrne bounced back with a 15/11 win for CLTC, but the PP pair had the final word with a 15/0 win in third set. Sharon Cobbe and Barbara Jordan made a PP rout seem on the cards when they won the first set in 2nd Ladies 15/3 against Ellen O’Neill and Aoife Kavanagh, CLTC, but the Carlow pair asserted themselves in the second and third sets, winning 15/12 and snatching victory from defeat 15/14. John Dowling and Peter Roche booked no nonsense in 2nd Men’s, winning in straight sets 15/10, 15/7 against Alan Cobbe and Malcolm Neale. Portarlington got back to winning ways in 1st Mixed. Lorraine Hill and Mark Cobbe defeated Andrew Harte and Ellen Cassells 15/11, 15/1. Colm Byrne and Mirian Walsh evened the score for CLTC 15/14, -1/15, 15/5, against Dawn Cobbe and Wayne Carter. Peter Roche and Aoife Kavanagh secured a lead for CLTC in 3rd Mixed against Sharon Cobbe and Alan Cobbe with scores of 15/10, 15/8. The match was poised for a grandstand finish when John Dowling and Ellen O’Neill, CLTC, met Barbara Jordan and Malcolm Neale, PP. The PP pair had each lost their respective doubles game, so Dowling and O’Neill had a paper advantage, but Jordan and Neale were much better Mixed players. Barbara Taylor and Malcolm Neale, PP won their game in 2 sets, 15/2, 15/12. Each side had won 4 games, so sets were counted. Portarlington Parochial were declared Grade 1 Cup Champions on a scoreline of 4 games and 10 sets to 4 games and 9 sets for Carlow Lawn Tennis Club.
Grade 2: Portarlington Parochial’s Grade 2 team also reached a final where they met Ballycommon. Ballycommon played off a –1 against Portarlington at scratch. Sharon Cobbe and Barbara Jordan, PP, met Carmel Norton and Niamh Costello, BC, in 1st Ladies. Portarlington won 15/10, 15/9. Roy Cobbe and Robert Cox, PP defeated Paul Ennis and Mike Leamy in 1st Men’s, 15/5, 13/15, 15/9. Theresa Ruddy and Bernadine Maher got on the scorebook for BC with a 15/10, 15/4 win against Patricia Cobbe and Lesley Cobbe. Wayne Carter and Clive Wardrop rallied to score the third win for Portarlington in a 3-set match against Kenneth Costello and Stuart Perry, BC, 15/8, 10/15, 15/6. Portarlington were in a very strong position going into the mixed games with a 3-1 advantage and both men’s games under their belts. Geraldine Maher and Paul Ennis took the first set in 1st Mixed, 15/12. Sharon Cobbe and Wayne Carter bounced back, 15/1. Geraldine and Paul made the 2nd set look like a blip on the screen with a 15/8 win in the third set. Barbara Jordan and Robert Cox , PP met Carmel Norton and Kenneth Costello, BC. Another game went to 3 set, and again Ballycommon got their name in the winners box, 15/8, 6/15, 15/7. The match stood at 3 games apiece. Niamh Costello and Mike Leamy, BC, made quick work against Patricia Cobbe and Roy Cobbe, PP, 15/8, 15/1. Ballycommon had 4 wins to Portarlington Parochial 3. Portarlington had to win 4th Mixed. What a thriller the 1st set was between Theresa Ruddy and Stuart Perry, BC and Lesley Cobbe and Clive Wardrop. The lead changed hands back and forth. The spectators were on the edge of their seats. Since the drawn Grade 4 match, everyone kept track of sets and points. Finally, after a marathon struggle, Ballycommon won the set 15/14. Ballycommon had wins in 4 games totalling 11 sets; Portarlington had 3 games with 8 sets. Even if Portarlington won the next two sets their set total would only be 10, so Ballycommon were declared Grade 2 Cup Champions.
Grade 3:Rahan fielded 1 sub, Camilla Dunne for Karen Malone, in their match against Mullingar in the Grade 3 final. Mullingar played off scratch while Rahan coped with -7. The handicapping looked about right when Lisa McGowan and Mag Mahon, Rahan, took 3 sets to defeat Alma Hayden and Irene Gilmore, Mullingar, 15/2, 12/15, 9/15. Billy Mitchell and Mathew Arun followed with a 15/2, 15/-1 win against Paul Christie and John Looby, Rahan, Rahan in 1st Men’s. Dolores Sheerin and Camilla Dunne fought off the challenge of Amanda Lee and Marie Bardon in the second set to win 2nd Ladies, 15/8, 15/13. Tim Pegg and James White levelled for Mullingar against Packie Walsh and Paddy Ayers, Rahan, 15/-1, 15/7. Paul Christie and Mag Mahon kept the match alive for Rahan with identical 15/6 scores in 2 sets against Billy Mitchell and Marie Bardon, Mullingar. Tim Pegg and Alma White scored a decisive win against John Looby and Lisa McGowan, Rahan, 15/10, 15/-1. In 3rd Mixed, Paddy Ayres and Dolores Sheerin kept Rahan in the match with a 15/6, 15/10 win against James White and Irene Gillmore. The final drama was played out in fourth mixed. Mullingar were one set up and ahead on points 175 to 141. Rahan had to win the game to give them a 5-3 victory. A Mullingar win in 2 or 3 sets meant Mullingar were the winners. Mathew Arun and Amanda Lee, Mullingar, defeated Packie Walsh and Camilla Dunne, Rahan, 15/8 in the first set. Packie and Camilla fought back and won the second set 15/8. In a nailbiting finish, Mathew Arun and Amanda Lee squeezed out a narrow 15/13 win for Mullingar, giving them game, set, and match, on a scoreline of 4 games, 9 sets, 213 scores to 4 games, 9 sets, and 177 scores for Rahan.
Grade 5: Pullough are back. A few years ago Pullough were a powerhouse junior team in Offaly, winning the lower 3 grades in one season, then the club disappeared from the scene. They formed a social club at the end of the 2007-08 season, and continued playing socially until the SWLL Cup, when they ventured forth into competition once again, and what a way to start, reaching the final of the Grade 5 Knock-out Cup. Pullough, playing off –2, (the grading committee had their homework done) met Carlow YM at scratch. Geraldine Dolan and Jolene Hall led off for Pullough against Deborah Collier and Lorna Collier, CYM. Pullough managed a 15/8, 15/8 win. Patrick Lynam and Richard Fox, Pullough, met Victor Rigley and David Ruddock in 1st Men’s. Pullough won the 1st set 15/8. CYM snatched victory in the second set 15/14. Pullough bounced back to claim the third set 15/3. In 2nd Ladies, the CYM pairing of Yvette Connor and Ruth Fennell defeated Marina Lynam and Sinead Lyman in straight sets, 15/13, 15/3. Roy Connor and William Stephenson levelled the match for Carlow with a 15/12, 15/1 victory against Keith Lynam and Adrian Lynam, Pullough. On to 1st Mixed where Geraldine Dolan and Patrick Lynam put Pullough back on winning ways with a 15/10, 15/5 victory against Deborah Collier and Victor Rigley. Sinead Lynam and Richard Fox completed the dominance at the top end of the team for Pullough by defeating Yvette Connor and Ray Connor, CYM, 15/11, 15/13. Ruth Fennell and William Stephenson, CYM, stepped out against Marina Lynam and Adrian Lynam, Pullough in 3rd Mixed. The CYM pair won 15/7, 15/3. Again a match was set for a grandstand finish. Pullough had to win this game to be guaranteed a match win. They had to win a set to force the match to individual scores. Going into the game, Pullough were ahead on scores 173 to 171. Jolene Hall and Keith Lynam played for Pullough while Lorna Collier and David Ruddock represented CYM. Collier and Ruddock won the first set 15/6. Hall and Lynam retaliated with a 15/9 win for Pullough. Lorna Collier and David Ruddock clinched the game for CYM in the third set, 15/8. The mathematicians quickly got out the pens and calculated the final scores, 4 games, 9 sets, 202 scores to Pullough, 4 games, 9 sets, and 210 scores for CYM, a narrow victory for Carlow YM.
Grade 6: After the excitement in the other 5 finals, the Grade 6 final between Carlow YM and Clonenagh of Mountrath became a non-event when Clonenagh could only field 1st Men’s on the night. For the record, Roy Connor and Trevor Watchan, CYM defeated David Quinn and John Culbert, Clonenagh, 15/8, 15/4. Other members of the CYM team were Yvette Connor and Ruth Fennell, 1st Ladies; Lisa Fennell and Adrienne Connor, 2nd Ladies; Daryl James and Robert Collier, 2nd Men’s; Yvette Connor and Roy Connor, 1st Mixed; Ruth Fennell and Trevor Watchan, 2nd Mixed; Lisa Fennell and Daryl Jones, 3rd Mixed, and Adrienne Connor and Robert Collier, 4th Mixed.
THE FINALS ROUNDUP
Southwest Leinster League finals are complete and teams are now engaged in the fight for a Leinster final. With one exception, the finals were extremely competitive, most matches going to the last set of 4th Mixed to determine the outcome.
Grade 1: Carlow YM and Carlow LTC contested the final in Grade 1. Carlow YM finished top of the league, so gained automatic qualification for the final. The Lawn Tennis Club met and defeated Portarlington Parochial in a semifinal. Catherine Redican and Laura Hanlon, Carlow YM, took 3 sets to achieve victory against Eimear Banville and Miriam Walsh, Carlow LTC, in 1st Ladies. Andrew Harte and Colm Byrne equalized for Carlow LTC with a 2-set, 15-10, 15-5 win against Alan Braithwaite and Willie Stevenson, Carlow YM. Second Ladies saw Carlow LTC go 1-up when Ellen O’Neill and Aoife Kavanagh defeated Sylvia Campion and Brenda O’Byrne, Carlow YM, 15-13, 9-15,15-3. Carlow LTC won second Men’s to give them a 3-1 lead at half time. Peter Roche and John Dowling, LTC, outscored Aubrey Cox and David Glynn, YM, 15/10, 5/15,15/8. The extra sets YM were picking off would do them no good unless they could win 3 more games. Willie Stevenson and Sylvia Campion, YM, started well against Eimear Banville and Andrew Harte, LTC, with a 15/13 win. They weren’t able to sustain their momentum, and lost the next 2 sets 15/7, 15/7. Carlow YM got back on track in 2nd Mixed. Alan Braithwaite and Catherine Redican overwhelmed Colm Byrne and Miriam Walsh 15/7, 15/0. By 1 ace in 3rd set, Aubrey Cox and Laura Hanlon kept YM in the match. In their game against Peter Roche and Aoife Kavanagh, LTC, they dropped the first set 11/15, rallied to win the second set 15/11, and survived a sudden-death point to win the third set 15/14. The entire match results hung on 4th mixed. Ellen O’Neill and John Dowling, LTC won the first set 15-3. David Glynn and Brenda O’Byrne, YM, won the next set 15/7. Now everyone looked at the possibilities. If YM won the next set, all scores for each team would be counted as each team would have won 4 games and 3 extra sets. If LTC won, the match was over on a 5-3 scoreline. Both sides fought hard for their team, but in the end, Ellen O’Neill and John Dowling, Carlow Lawn Tennis Club prevailed with a 15/9 victory.
Grade 2: Grade 2 was the smallest competition in Southwest Leinster League. Portarlington Parochial and Johnswell of Kilkenny were straight through into the final. Portarlington Parochial got the better start. Laura Hanlon and Sylvia Campion, Johnswell, won the 1st set in extra points 17-14 from Sharon Cobbe and Barbara Jordan, Portarlington, but Sharon and Barbara rallied to win the next two sets 15/6, 15/13. In 1st Men’s, Martin Hanlon and Jim Hoban, Johnswell, outscored Robert Cox and Roy Cobbe, Portarlington, 15/11. The Portarlington men bounced back in the next two sets, winning 17/16 in overtime and 15/8. The 1 point win in the second set proved the most decisive single point in the match for Portarlington. Second Ladies was very straightforward. Kay Brennan and Michelle Dooley, Johnswell, defeated Patricia Cobbe and Lesley Cobbe, Portarlington, 15/7, 15/5. Wayne Carter and Clive Wardrop, Portarlington dropped their 1st set to Michael Manning and John Carr 15/12. They were in danger of letting the match slip when the 2nd set was level at 14-all, but rallied to win 17/14. Wayne and Clive ran out easy winners15/6 in the third set. Martin Hanlon and Sylvia Campion, Johnswell took 2 sets to win 1st mixed against Wayne Carter and Sharon Cobbe, 15/13, 15/6. Robert Cox and Barbara Jordan’s reply in 2nd mixed was a 17/14, 15/12 victory over Michael Manning and Kay Brennan, Johnswell. Johnswell were not going out of this match easily. John Carr and Laura Hanlon, Johnswell, scored a 15/7, 15/2 victory against Roy Cobbe and Patricia Cobbe. Portarlington Parochial had to win the last mixed if they were to win the match. If Johnswell won, they had 3 extra sets which would give them victory in a 4-all draw. Portarlington hearts were racing when the score between Michelle Dooley and Jim Hoban, Johnswell, and Lesley Cobbe and Clive Wardrop, Portarlington, stood at 14/all. There was a collective sigh of relief when Lesley and Clive won 17/14. The Portarlington pair went on to win the second set 15/11, assuring a victory for Portarlington Parochial and a place in the interleague competitions. The extremely competitive and nail-biting edge to this match is evident from the 5 of 19 sets that went to extra points to decide the winner.
Grade 3: Except for injury to Karen Coyne, Mullingar, the Grade 3 final might have gone to 4th Mixed, but instead, it was cut short at the end of the first set of 3rd Mixed. Karen injured her shoulder in 1st Ladies, which she and her partner, Alma Hayden, lost to Lisa McGowan and Karen Malone, Rahan, 15/9, 15/8. Rahan also won 1st Men’s, when Paul Christie and John Looby outscored Billy Mitchell and Mathew Arun, Mullingar, 15/12, 15/12. The match took on new life in the third and fourth games. Irene Gilmore and Amanda Lee, Mullingar, won the 1st set against Dolores Sheerin and Mag Mahon, Rahan, 15-13. However, The Rahan players bounced back to win the next two sets 15/10, 15/4. Derek Burnett and James White, Mullingar, outplayed Packie Walsh and Paddy Ayres, Rahan, in the first set 15/6. They dropped the 2nd set 8/15. The 3rd set was like a yo-yo with the score going back and forth between the two sides. The match was set at 14-all. Derek and James managed a 17/15 win for Mullingar. However, Mullingar’s run of luck came to an abrupt end when Mullingar had to concede 1st Mixed to Paul Christie and Mag Mahon, Rahan. In 2nd Mixed, Derek Burnett and Alma Hayden, Mullingar, made short work of John Looby and Lisa McGowan, Rahan, 15/5, 15/5.Third Mixed became “do or die” for Mullingar when Mathew Arun and Amanda Lee, Mullingar, met Paddy Ayres and Dolores Sheerin, Rahan. In a closely contested battle, Paddy Ayres and Dolores Sheerin emerged the winners, 15/13. Rahan now had 4 wins and were a set up on Mullingar, so Loftus Warren, match referee, declared Rahan the winners. Mullingar qualified for the final by defeating Carlow YM 5-3 and Rahan qualified when they defeated Donoughmore 5/1.
Grade 4: Carlow Lawn Tennis Club met Rahan in the Grade 4 final. Marina Lynam and Camilla Dunne led off with a win for Rahan against Aine Murphy and Edwina Kelly, LTC, 15/2, 15/2. John Sheridan and Brian Maher, LTC, took 3 sets to dispose of Pat McElduff and James Christie, Rahan, 6/15, 15/5,15/2. Rahan now had a set to go with their win. Rahan kept the pressure on the Lawn Tennis Club by winning 2nd Ladies 15/8, 15/7, against Ann Barron and Mairead McMahon, Mullingar. Ellen Flynn and Geraldine Jones were the pair inflicting the damage on Carlow LTC. Rahan took their third win in 2nd Men’s when Carthage Byrne and Frank Ryan defeated David Rice and William Ryan 15/7, 3/15,15/7. The LTC pair evened up the extra sets when they captured the second set in this game. Carlow started very strongly in the Mixed. Edwina Kelly and John Sheehan, LTC, won the 1st set 15/13. Camilla Dunne and Frank Ryan, Rahan, reversed the scores to win the 2nd set 15/13. Edwina and John prevailed in the 3rd set 15/10. In a last gasp effort, Marina Lynam and Pat McElduff, Rahan, scored a 17/15 win in 1st set of 2nd Mixed. Ann Barron and Brian Maher replied with wins for CLTC in the next two sets, 15/8, 15/9, which earned them the game. Carlow had to win the next game to stay in the match. Aine Murphy and David Rice, CLTC, lost the 1st Set to Ellen Flynn and Carthage Byrne, 10/15. The CLTC pair reversed the score for the 2nd set, winning 15/10. This loss spurred Ellen and Carthage on all the more and they won the 3rd set 15/2, to win set, game and match for Rhan. Rahan qualified for the final by defeating Bough 5-0 in a semifinal. Carlow Lawn Tennis Club squeaked into the final by 3 sets against Annacurra, 4 wins and 3 sets to 4 wins.
Grade 5: Athy RFC met Ballinkillen in the Grade 5 Final. Ballinkillen players Anne O’Neill and Enid Delaney led off with a win in 1st Ladies against Bernie Lowry and Eunice Jeffers, Athy RFC, 15/11, 15/4. John McAssey and Mark Devine followed this up with a Ballinkillen win 12/15, 15/4, 15/2, against Brendan Sourke and Joe Dalton Athy RFC. Lisa Roche and Louise O’Neill continued what appeared to be a Ballinkillen rout when they won 2nd Ladies 15/5, 15/10. Their victims were Mary Doogue and Betty Dunne, Athy RFC. In 2nd Men’s, Athy swung into action. James Kilbride and Martin Carroll, Athy RFC, defeated Ballinkillen men Terry Clarke and Seamus Farrell 15/7, 15/5. Brendan Sourke and Bernie Lowry followed on with a 15/12, 15/4 win for Athy RFC at the expense of Enid Delaney and Mark Devine, Ballinkillen, 15/12, 15/4. Joe Dalton and Eunice Jeffers had to work harder for their win in 2nd Mixed. They defeated John McAssey and Anne O’Neill 15/11, 15/12. Third Mixed, the most competitive of the mixed games never got finished because 4th mixed was playing at the same time in the 2-court Carlow Lawn Tennis Club Hall. Mary Doogue and James Kilbride won the first set against Terry Clarke and Louise O’Neill, Ballinkillen, 15/9. Louise and Terry were determined and squeaked through in the second set 15/13. On the other court the match also went two sets, but the Athy pair of Betty Dunne and Martin Carroll won both, the second set in extra points, 15/8 17/14, against Lisa Roche and Seamus Farrell, Ballinkillen. This result gave Athy RFC a 4 game and 2 set win against Ballinkillen’s 3 games and 1 set. Athy RFC qualified for the final by defeating Portlaoise GAA 5-2 and Ballinkillen qualified with a 5-2 win against Johnswell.
Grade 6: Carlow YM “A” and Donoughmore played to the wire in the Grade 6 Final. Ann Braithwait and Dawn Standley won the first set for YM-A 15-10. Pauela Finlay and Nicole Fenton, Donoughmore, controlled the next 2 sets, winning the game 15/10, 15/11. Carlow YM-A 1st Men, Victor Rigley and Richard Wallace won 2 sets to defeat Christopher Moody and Vincent Collar, Donoughmore, 15/6, 15/10. Donoughmore won 2nd Ladies 15/12, 15/6, when Elaine Daegan and Brenda Byrne outscored Deborah Collier and Tara Caldbad. Second Men’s went to Carlow YM-A with Ray James and David Ruddock outscoring Gordon Plant and Merlin Ouingtan 15/8, 15/6. This left the score at the break 2 games and a set to Carlow YM-A and 2 games for Donoughmore. Carlow YM-A players Victor Rigley and Deborah Collier,took 2 sets to defeat Christopher Moody and Breda Byrne, Donoughmore, 15/7, 15/9. Second Mixed was a win for Donoughmore. Pauela Finlay and Gordon Plant won the 1st set 15/8. Dawn Standley and Ray James, YM-A rebounded for a win in 2nd set, 15/10. Pauela and Gordon claimed the 3rd set 15/9. Donoughmore went on to win 3rd Mixed, again in 3 sets. Elaine Daegan and Merlin Ouingtan lost the 1st set 10/15, then won the next 2 sets 15/10, 15/12. Again a match hinged on 4th Mixed. Carlow YM-A had 3 wins in 2 sets each, so conceded no extra sets to Donoughmore. However, YM-A had picked off sets in 3 of Donoughmore’s 4 wins. David Ruddock and Tara Caldbad represented Carlow YM-A against Nicole Fenton and Vincent Collar, Donoughmore. The YM-A pair proved far too strong for the Donoughmore pair, and won 15-8, 15-7. Match results, a win for Carlow YM-A, 4 games and 3 sets to 4 games. Carlow YM-A qualified for the final by defeating Portarlington Parochial 5-1. Donoughmore defeated Clonenagh by the same score, 5-1.
The completion of the leagues finds most of the Southwest Leinster teams well into Knock-out Cup play. The League winners are engaged in preliminary matches leading to the Leinster semi-finals and finals in Baldoyle and Terenure Badminton Centres on 19 April.
S.W.L.B. League Results 2007/2008
Gr 1 Carlow L T C (10 sets) Carlow Y M 2 ( 5 sets )
Gr 2 Gurteen 5 Johnswell 0
Gr 3 Baltinglass 5 Carlow Y M 0
Gr 4 Rahan 5 Annacurra 3
Gr 5 Bough 4 (9 sets) Clonenagh 4 (8 sets )
Gr 6 Bough 4 (10 sets 211 aces) Carlow Y M 4 ( 10 sets 209 aces )
Gr 7 Carlow Y M 4 (10 seta ) Bough 2
South West Leinster Badminton League Results 2006/2007
League
Grade 1: Carlow L.T.C. 4 (9 sets) Carlow Y.M. 0
Grade 2: Killoughey 4 (10 sets) Portarlington parochial 3 (7 sets)
Grade 3: Rahan 5 Baltinglass 1
Grade 4: Portarlington Parochial 4 (9 sets) Carlow L.T.C. 3 (6 sets)
Grade 5: Athy R.F.C. 4 (10 sets) Bough 1 (3 sets)
Grade 6: Rahan 5 Carlow Y.M. 0
Knock Out Cup
Grade 1: Carlow L.T.C. 4 (10 sets) Killoughey 3 (8 sets)
Grade 2: Killoughey 4 (11 sets) Carlow L.T.C. 2 (5 sets)
Grade 3: Carlow Y.M. 5 Rahan 1
Grade 4: Johnswell 4 (9 sets) Callow L.T.C. 3 (6 sets)
Grade 5: Clonenagh 5 Bough 1
Grade 6: Bough 4 (10 sets) Carlow Y.M. 2 (5 sets)
Grade 7: Portarlington Parochial 5 Rahan 0
Mens Doubles
Class 3 Winners - Colin Sheridan & Edmund O'Reilly (Killeshandra Club, Cavan)
Class 4 Winners - Owen Somers & John Kelly (Knocklyon BC, Dublin)
Class 5 Winners - Steven Wu & Ger Barry (IT Tallaght BC, Dublin)
Ladies Doubles
Class 3/4 Winners - Lara Lewis & Laura Sherman (Ashbourne BC, Meath)
Class 5 Winners - Cathy Barry & Claire Woods (Beag's Beo, Dublin)
Mixed Doubles
Class 3 Winners - Suzanne Fitzpatrick (Baldoyle & District, Dublin) & Colin Sheridan (Killeshandra Club, Cavan)
Class 4 Winners - Esmé Denvir & Owen Somers (Knocklyon BC, Dublin)
Class 5 Winners - Cathy Ryan & Barry Gallagher (Beag's Beo, Dublin)
Southwest Leinster AGM:
The AGM of the Southwest Leinster Badminton League will be held in the new parochial hall, Athy, on May 8 at 8.30. The new hall is directly across the road from the old hall. Any club in the league this year, and hoping to play next year must have a representative at the meeting or face a substantial fine.
Rahan and Bough Make History
The history of Southwest Leinster League Badminton was rewritten on 6 April, in Athy RFC when Bough and Rahan played a 4-all draw in the Division 4 Final. Never before had a draw occurred that couldn’t be resolved. Both teams scored 4 wins each, in 8 sets each and 177 points each. The fact that Rahan played off a –8 and Bough started at scratch posed a slight problem, which was easily resolved. In a handicap competition when counting scores, the points scored to reach 0 are ignored, and if a team finishes with a minus score, the results are treated as 15/0. Camilla Dunne and Dolores Sheerin led off in 1st Ladies for Rahan against Sheila Landon and Irene Higginson. Rahan won 15/9, 15/9. David James and Andy Owens, Bough, outscored Pat McElduff and James Christie, Rahan 15/6, 15/12.The score after 2 games, 1 game apiece, 2 sets apiece, and incredibly, 48 scores each, but nobody was counting yet. Rahan gained the upper hand in 2nd ladies when Geraldine Jones and Ellen Flynn defeated Sandra James and Rosemary Adamson 15/11, 15/2. Back came Bough in 2nd men’s with Trevor Tutty and Joe Collier defeating Carthage Byrne and Frank Ryan 15/12, 15/10. A quick score check showed Rahan slightly ahead, 2 games, 4 sets and 100 points to 2 games, 4 sets, and 91 points. Bough surged ahead after 1st Mixed when David James and Rosemary Adamson outscored Dolores Sheerin and Carthage Byrne 15/2, 15/11. The 2nd Mixed pair for Rahan, Camilla Dunne and Pat McElduff, pulled back the match for Rahan with a 15/5, 15/10 win against Andy Owens and Sheila Landon. Now the score stood at 3 games each, 6 sets each but Rahan ahead of Bough 143 to 138 on individual scores. Third Mixed started and the tension was starting to build. Ellen Flynn and Frank Ryan, Rahan, struggled their entire game against Trevor Tutty and Sandra Jones, Bough. The Bough pair won 15/4, 15/-1. Some quick addition put Bough ahead 1 games, 2 sets, but importantly, 21 points. Did the teams know what they needed to do before the 4th Mixed began? The League Secretary, Loftus Warren, thinks not. According to Loftus, the teams seemed genuinely surprised at the results. As an outside observer, I would think that Rahan knew the score. Off a base of 147 points, the most that Rahan could win was 177. In order to win the match, they had to hold Bough to less than 9 points. Geraldine Jones and James Christie worked very hard to limit Bough players Joe Collier and Irene Higginson to 5 points. To win the match for Rahan, Geraldine and James had to limit Bough to 3 points, and to secure victory for Bough, Joe and Irene had to score at least 5 points. Both sides failed in their bid to win, and the remarkable, unheard of, and historic draw occurred—4 games, 8 sets, and 177 points each.
Grade 4 Replay: What a difference a change of date and a change of venue can make in a result. Each team had one change of personnel; for Bough, Dermot Finlay replaced Joe Collier, and for Rahan, Bernie Molloy replaced Ellen Flynn. Camilla Dunne and Dolores Sheerin in 1st Ladies started the match with an even better results for Rahan than in the drawn game with a 15/2, 15/6 win against Sheila Landon and Irene Higginson, Bough. David James and Andy Owens, Bough, followed on with 15/2, 15/11 wins again Pat McElduff and James Christie, Rahan. Rahan were slightly ahead after 2 games, 43 scores to 38. Here, the old script was abandoned and a new one began. Bough won 2nd Ladies when Sandra James and Rosemary Adamson outscored the Rahan pair of Geraldine Jones and Bernie Molloy 15/9, 15/-3. Carthage Byrne and Frank Ryan, Rahan, tried to stick to the new script by winning the first set in 2nd Men’s 15/12, but Bough supremacy prevailed with sets of 15/-1 and 15/10. Dolores Sheerin and Carthage Byrne were not at the races in 1st Mixed against David James and Rosemary Adamson. Bough won 15/2, 15/1. Camilla Dunne and Pat McElduff, Rahan, were confident going on court against Andy Owens and Sheila Landon, Bough. The Rahan pair had a solid win the first time around, but Bough were very hungry for victory. Andy and Sheila won the first set 15/11. Camilla and Pat snatched victory in the second set 15/14, but dropped the third set for Rahan 15/10. This score gave Bough a well-deserved 5 games to 1 victory, and the Grade 4 Cup title.
Grade 1: Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, -10, met Portarlington Parochial, -3, in the Grade 1 final. A subtraction of handicaps left Carlow starting at –7 and Portarlington at scratch. Dawn Cobbe and Lorraine Hill, PP, made a mockery of the handicaps with a 15/3, 15/-4 win against Mirian Walsh and Ellen Cassells, CLTC. Mark Cobbe and Wayne Carter continued the Portarlington on slaught with a 15/-6 win in the first set of 1st Men. Andrew Harte and Colm Byrne bounced back with a 15/11 win for CLTC, but the PP pair had the final word with a 15/0 win in third set. Sharon Cobbe and Barbara Jordan made a PP rout seem on the cards when they won the first set in 2nd Ladies 15/3 against Ellen O’Neill and Aoife Kavanagh, CLTC, but the Carlow pair asserted themselves in the second and third sets, winning 15/12 and snatching victory from defeat 15/14. John Dowling and Peter Roche booked no nonsense in 2nd Men’s, winning in straight sets 15/10, 15/7 against Alan Cobbe and Malcolm Neale. Portarlington got back to winning ways in 1st Mixed. Lorraine Hill and Mark Cobbe defeated Andrew Harte and Ellen Cassells 15/11, 15/1. Colm Byrne and Mirian Walsh evened the score for CLTC 15/14, -1/15, 15/5, against Dawn Cobbe and Wayne Carter. Peter Roche and Aoife Kavanagh secured a lead for CLTC in 3rd Mixed against Sharon Cobbe and Alan Cobbe with scores of 15/10, 15/8. The match was poised for a grandstand finish when John Dowling and Ellen O’Neill, CLTC, met Barbara Jordan and Malcolm Neale, PP. The PP pair had each lost their respective doubles game, so Dowling and O’Neill had a paper advantage, but Jordan and Neale were much better Mixed players. Barbara Taylor and Malcolm Neale, PP won their game in 2 sets, 15/2, 15/12. Each side had won 4 games, so sets were counted. Portarlington Parochial were declared Grade 1 Cup Champions on a scoreline of 4 games and 10 sets to 4 games and 9 sets for Carlow Lawn Tennis Club.
Grade 2: Portarlington Parochial’s Grade 2 team also reached a final where they met Ballycommon. Ballycommon played off a –1 against Portarlington at scratch. Sharon Cobbe and Barbara Jordan, PP, met Carmel Norton and Niamh Costello, BC, in 1st Ladies. Portarlington won 15/10, 15/9. Roy Cobbe and Robert Cox, PP defeated Paul Ennis and Mike Leamy in 1st Men’s, 15/5, 13/15, 15/9. Theresa Ruddy and Bernadine Maher got on the scorebook for BC with a 15/10, 15/4 win against Patricia Cobbe and Lesley Cobbe. Wayne Carter and Clive Wardrop rallied to score the third win for Portarlington in a 3-set match against Kenneth Costello and Stuart Perry, BC, 15/8, 10/15, 15/6. Portarlington were in a very strong position going into the mixed games with a 3-1 advantage and both men’s games under their belts. Geraldine Maher and Paul Ennis took the first set in 1st Mixed, 15/12. Sharon Cobbe and Wayne Carter bounced back, 15/1. Geraldine and Paul made the 2nd set look like a blip on the screen with a 15/8 win in the third set. Barbara Jordan and Robert Cox , PP met Carmel Norton and Kenneth Costello, BC. Another game went to 3 set, and again Ballycommon got their name in the winners box, 15/8, 6/15, 15/7. The match stood at 3 games apiece. Niamh Costello and Mike Leamy, BC, made quick work against Patricia Cobbe and Roy Cobbe, PP, 15/8, 15/1. Ballycommon had 4 wins to Portarlington Parochial 3. Portarlington had to win 4th Mixed. What a thriller the 1st set was between Theresa Ruddy and Stuart Perry, BC and Lesley Cobbe and Clive Wardrop. The lead changed hands back and forth. The spectators were on the edge of their seats. Since the drawn Grade 4 match, everyone kept track of sets and points. Finally, after a marathon struggle, Ballycommon won the set 15/14. Ballycommon had wins in 4 games totalling 11 sets; Portarlington had 3 games with 8 sets. Even if Portarlington won the next two sets their set total would only be 10, so Ballycommon were declared Grade 2 Cup Champions.
Grade 3:Rahan fielded 1 sub, Camilla Dunne for Karen Malone, in their match against Mullingar in the Grade 3 final. Mullingar played off scratch while Rahan coped with -7. The handicapping looked about right when Lisa McGowan and Mag Mahon, Rahan, took 3 sets to defeat Alma Hayden and Irene Gilmore, Mullingar, 15/2, 12/15, 9/15. Billy Mitchell and Mathew Arun followed with a 15/2, 15/-1 win against Paul Christie and John Looby, Rahan, Rahan in 1st Men’s. Dolores Sheerin and Camilla Dunne fought off the challenge of Amanda Lee and Marie Bardon in the second set to win 2nd Ladies, 15/8, 15/13. Tim Pegg and James White levelled for Mullingar against Packie Walsh and Paddy Ayers, Rahan, 15/-1, 15/7. Paul Christie and Mag Mahon kept the match alive for Rahan with identical 15/6 scores in 2 sets against Billy Mitchell and Marie Bardon, Mullingar. Tim Pegg and Alma White scored a decisive win against John Looby and Lisa McGowan, Rahan, 15/10, 15/-1. In 3rd Mixed, Paddy Ayres and Dolores Sheerin kept Rahan in the match with a 15/6, 15/10 win against James White and Irene Gillmore. The final drama was played out in fourth mixed. Mullingar were one set up and ahead on points 175 to 141. Rahan had to win the game to give them a 5-3 victory. A Mullingar win in 2 or 3 sets meant Mullingar were the winners. Mathew Arun and Amanda Lee, Mullingar, defeated Packie Walsh and Camilla Dunne, Rahan, 15/8 in the first set. Packie and Camilla fought back and won the second set 15/8. In a nailbiting finish, Mathew Arun and Amanda Lee squeezed out a narrow 15/13 win for Mullingar, giving them game, set, and match, on a scoreline of 4 games, 9 sets, 213 scores to 4 games, 9 sets, and 177 scores for Rahan.
Grade 5: Pullough are back. A few years ago Pullough were a powerhouse junior team in Offaly, winning the lower 3 grades in one season, then the club disappeared from the scene. They formed a social club at the end of the 2007-08 season, and continued playing socially until the SWLL Cup, when they ventured forth into competition once again, and what a way to start, reaching the final of the Grade 5 Knock-out Cup. Pullough, playing off –2, (the grading committee had their homework done) met Carlow YM at scratch. Geraldine Dolan and Jolene Hall led off for Pullough against Deborah Collier and Lorna Collier, CYM. Pullough managed a 15/8, 15/8 win. Patrick Lynam and Richard Fox, Pullough, met Victor Rigley and David Ruddock in 1st Men’s. Pullough won the 1st set 15/8. CYM snatched victory in the second set 15/14. Pullough bounced back to claim the third set 15/3. In 2nd Ladies, the CYM pairing of Yvette Connor and Ruth Fennell defeated Marina Lynam and Sinead Lyman in straight sets, 15/13, 15/3. Roy Connor and William Stephenson levelled the match for Carlow with a 15/12, 15/1 victory against Keith Lynam and Adrian Lynam, Pullough. On to 1st Mixed where Geraldine Dolan and Patrick Lynam put Pullough back on winning ways with a 15/10, 15/5 victory against Deborah Collier and Victor Rigley. Sinead Lynam and Richard Fox completed the dominance at the top end of the team for Pullough by defeating Yvette Connor and Ray Connor, CYM, 15/11, 15/13. Ruth Fennell and William Stephenson, CYM, stepped out against Marina Lynam and Adrian Lynam, Pullough in 3rd Mixed. The CYM pair won 15/7, 15/3. Again a match was set for a grandstand finish. Pullough had to win this game to be guaranteed a match win. They had to win a set to force the match to individual scores. Going into the game, Pullough were ahead on scores 173 to 171. Jolene Hall and Keith Lynam played for Pullough while Lorna Collier and David Ruddock represented CYM. Collier and Ruddock won the first set 15/6. Hall and Lynam retaliated with a 15/9 win for Pullough. Lorna Collier and David Ruddock clinched the game for CYM in the third set, 15/8. The mathematicians quickly got out the pens and calculated the final scores, 4 games, 9 sets, 202 scores to Pullough, 4 games, 9 sets, and 210 scores for CYM, a narrow victory for Carlow YM.
Grade 6: After the excitement in the other 5 finals, the Grade 6 final between Carlow YM and Clonenagh of Mountrath became a non-event when Clonenagh could only field 1st Men’s on the night. For the record, Roy Connor and Trevor Watchan, CYM defeated David Quinn and John Culbert, Clonenagh, 15/8, 15/4. Other members of the CYM team were Yvette Connor and Ruth Fennell, 1st Ladies; Lisa Fennell and Adrienne Connor, 2nd Ladies; Daryl James and Robert Collier, 2nd Men’s; Yvette Connor and Roy Connor, 1st Mixed; Ruth Fennell and Trevor Watchan, 2nd Mixed; Lisa Fennell and Daryl Jones, 3rd Mixed, and Adrienne Connor and Robert Collier, 4th Mixed.
THE FINALS ROUNDUP
Southwest Leinster League finals are complete and teams are now engaged in the fight for a Leinster final. With one exception, the finals were extremely competitive, most matches going to the last set of 4th Mixed to determine the outcome.
Grade 1: Carlow YM and Carlow LTC contested the final in Grade 1. Carlow YM finished top of the league, so gained automatic qualification for the final. The Lawn Tennis Club met and defeated Portarlington Parochial in a semifinal. Catherine Redican and Laura Hanlon, Carlow YM, took 3 sets to achieve victory against Eimear Banville and Miriam Walsh, Carlow LTC, in 1st Ladies. Andrew Harte and Colm Byrne equalized for Carlow LTC with a 2-set, 15-10, 15-5 win against Alan Braithwaite and Willie Stevenson, Carlow YM. Second Ladies saw Carlow LTC go 1-up when Ellen O’Neill and Aoife Kavanagh defeated Sylvia Campion and Brenda O’Byrne, Carlow YM, 15-13, 9-15,15-3. Carlow LTC won second Men’s to give them a 3-1 lead at half time. Peter Roche and John Dowling, LTC, outscored Aubrey Cox and David Glynn, YM, 15/10, 5/15,15/8. The extra sets YM were picking off would do them no good unless they could win 3 more games. Willie Stevenson and Sylvia Campion, YM, started well against Eimear Banville and Andrew Harte, LTC, with a 15/13 win. They weren’t able to sustain their momentum, and lost the next 2 sets 15/7, 15/7. Carlow YM got back on track in 2nd Mixed. Alan Braithwaite and Catherine Redican overwhelmed Colm Byrne and Miriam Walsh 15/7, 15/0. By 1 ace in 3rd set, Aubrey Cox and Laura Hanlon kept YM in the match. In their game against Peter Roche and Aoife Kavanagh, LTC, they dropped the first set 11/15, rallied to win the second set 15/11, and survived a sudden-death point to win the third set 15/14. The entire match results hung on 4th mixed. Ellen O’Neill and John Dowling, LTC won the first set 15-3. David Glynn and Brenda O’Byrne, YM, won the next set 15/7. Now everyone looked at the possibilities. If YM won the next set, all scores for each team would be counted as each team would have won 4 games and 3 extra sets. If LTC won, the match was over on a 5-3 scoreline. Both sides fought hard for their team, but in the end, Ellen O’Neill and John Dowling, Carlow Lawn Tennis Club prevailed with a 15/9 victory.
Grade 2: Grade 2 was the smallest competition in Southwest Leinster League. Portarlington Parochial and Johnswell of Kilkenny were straight through into the final. Portarlington Parochial got the better start. Laura Hanlon and Sylvia Campion, Johnswell, won the 1st set in extra points 17-14 from Sharon Cobbe and Barbara Jordan, Portarlington, but Sharon and Barbara rallied to win the next two sets 15/6, 15/13. In 1st Men’s, Martin Hanlon and Jim Hoban, Johnswell, outscored Robert Cox and Roy Cobbe, Portarlington, 15/11. The Portarlington men bounced back in the next two sets, winning 17/16 in overtime and 15/8. The 1 point win in the second set proved the most decisive single point in the match for Portarlington. Second Ladies was very straightforward. Kay Brennan and Michelle Dooley, Johnswell, defeated Patricia Cobbe and Lesley Cobbe, Portarlington, 15/7, 15/5. Wayne Carter and Clive Wardrop, Portarlington dropped their 1st set to Michael Manning and John Carr 15/12. They were in danger of letting the match slip when the 2nd set was level at 14-all, but rallied to win 17/14. Wayne and Clive ran out easy winners15/6 in the third set. Martin Hanlon and Sylvia Campion, Johnswell took 2 sets to win 1st mixed against Wayne Carter and Sharon Cobbe, 15/13, 15/6. Robert Cox and Barbara Jordan’s reply in 2nd mixed was a 17/14, 15/12 victory over Michael Manning and Kay Brennan, Johnswell. Johnswell were not going out of this match easily. John Carr and Laura Hanlon, Johnswell, scored a 15/7, 15/2 victory against Roy Cobbe and Patricia Cobbe. Portarlington Parochial had to win the last mixed if they were to win the match. If Johnswell won, they had 3 extra sets which would give them victory in a 4-all draw. Portarlington hearts were racing when the score between Michelle Dooley and Jim Hoban, Johnswell, and Lesley Cobbe and Clive Wardrop, Portarlington, stood at 14/all. There was a collective sigh of relief when Lesley and Clive won 17/14. The Portarlington pair went on to win the second set 15/11, assuring a victory for Portarlington Parochial and a place in the interleague competitions. The extremely competitive and nail-biting edge to this match is evident from the 5 of 19 sets that went to extra points to decide the winner.
Grade 3: Except for injury to Karen Coyne, Mullingar, the Grade 3 final might have gone to 4th Mixed, but instead, it was cut short at the end of the first set of 3rd Mixed. Karen injured her shoulder in 1st Ladies, which she and her partner, Alma Hayden, lost to Lisa McGowan and Karen Malone, Rahan, 15/9, 15/8. Rahan also won 1st Men’s, when Paul Christie and John Looby outscored Billy Mitchell and Mathew Arun, Mullingar, 15/12, 15/12. The match took on new life in the third and fourth games. Irene Gilmore and Amanda Lee, Mullingar, won the 1st set against Dolores Sheerin and Mag Mahon, Rahan, 15-13. However, The Rahan players bounced back to win the next two sets 15/10, 15/4. Derek Burnett and James White, Mullingar, outplayed Packie Walsh and Paddy Ayres, Rahan, in the first set 15/6. They dropped the 2nd set 8/15. The 3rd set was like a yo-yo with the score going back and forth between the two sides. The match was set at 14-all. Derek and James managed a 17/15 win for Mullingar. However, Mullingar’s run of luck came to an abrupt end when Mullingar had to concede 1st Mixed to Paul Christie and Mag Mahon, Rahan. In 2nd Mixed, Derek Burnett and Alma Hayden, Mullingar, made short work of John Looby and Lisa McGowan, Rahan, 15/5, 15/5.Third Mixed became “do or die” for Mullingar when Mathew Arun and Amanda Lee, Mullingar, met Paddy Ayres and Dolores Sheerin, Rahan. In a closely contested battle, Paddy Ayres and Dolores Sheerin emerged the winners, 15/13. Rahan now had 4 wins and were a set up on Mullingar, so Loftus Warren, match referee, declared Rahan the winners. Mullingar qualified for the final by defeating Carlow YM 5-3 and Rahan qualified when they defeated Donoughmore 5/1.
Grade 4: Carlow Lawn Tennis Club met Rahan in the Grade 4 final. Marina Lynam and Camilla Dunne led off with a win for Rahan against Aine Murphy and Edwina Kelly, LTC, 15/2, 15/2. John Sheridan and Brian Maher, LTC, took 3 sets to dispose of Pat McElduff and James Christie, Rahan, 6/15, 15/5,15/2. Rahan now had a set to go with their win. Rahan kept the pressure on the Lawn Tennis Club by winning 2nd Ladies 15/8, 15/7, against Ann Barron and Mairead McMahon, Mullingar. Ellen Flynn and Geraldine Jones were the pair inflicting the damage on Carlow LTC. Rahan took their third win in 2nd Men’s when Carthage Byrne and Frank Ryan defeated David Rice and William Ryan 15/7, 3/15,15/7. The LTC pair evened up the extra sets when they captured the second set in this game. Carlow started very strongly in the Mixed. Edwina Kelly and John Sheehan, LTC, won the 1st set 15/13. Camilla Dunne and Frank Ryan, Rahan, reversed the scores to win the 2nd set 15/13. Edwina and John prevailed in the 3rd set 15/10. In a last gasp effort, Marina Lynam and Pat McElduff, Rahan, scored a 17/15 win in 1st set of 2nd Mixed. Ann Barron and Brian Maher replied with wins for CLTC in the next two sets, 15/8, 15/9, which earned them the game. Carlow had to win the next game to stay in the match. Aine Murphy and David Rice, CLTC, lost the 1st Set to Ellen Flynn and Carthage Byrne, 10/15. The CLTC pair reversed the score for the 2nd set, winning 15/10. This loss spurred Ellen and Carthage on all the more and they won the 3rd set 15/2, to win set, game and match for Rhan. Rahan qualified for the final by defeating Bough 5-0 in a semifinal. Carlow Lawn Tennis Club squeaked into the final by 3 sets against Annacurra, 4 wins and 3 sets to 4 wins.
Grade 5: Athy RFC met Ballinkillen in the Grade 5 Final. Ballinkillen players Anne O’Neill and Enid Delaney led off with a win in 1st Ladies against Bernie Lowry and Eunice Jeffers, Athy RFC, 15/11, 15/4. John McAssey and Mark Devine followed this up with a Ballinkillen win 12/15, 15/4, 15/2, against Brendan Sourke and Joe Dalton Athy RFC. Lisa Roche and Louise O’Neill continued what appeared to be a Ballinkillen rout when they won 2nd Ladies 15/5, 15/10. Their victims were Mary Doogue and Betty Dunne, Athy RFC. In 2nd Men’s, Athy swung into action. James Kilbride and Martin Carroll, Athy RFC, defeated Ballinkillen men Terry Clarke and Seamus Farrell 15/7, 15/5. Brendan Sourke and Bernie Lowry followed on with a 15/12, 15/4 win for Athy RFC at the expense of Enid Delaney and Mark Devine, Ballinkillen, 15/12, 15/4. Joe Dalton and Eunice Jeffers had to work harder for their win in 2nd Mixed. They defeated John McAssey and Anne O’Neill 15/11, 15/12. Third Mixed, the most competitive of the mixed games never got finished because 4th mixed was playing at the same time in the 2-court Carlow Lawn Tennis Club Hall. Mary Doogue and James Kilbride won the first set against Terry Clarke and Louise O’Neill, Ballinkillen, 15/9. Louise and Terry were determined and squeaked through in the second set 15/13. On the other court the match also went two sets, but the Athy pair of Betty Dunne and Martin Carroll won both, the second set in extra points, 15/8 17/14, against Lisa Roche and Seamus Farrell, Ballinkillen. This result gave Athy RFC a 4 game and 2 set win against Ballinkillen’s 3 games and 1 set. Athy RFC qualified for the final by defeating Portlaoise GAA 5-2 and Ballinkillen qualified with a 5-2 win against Johnswell.
Grade 6: Carlow YM “A” and Donoughmore played to the wire in the Grade 6 Final. Ann Braithwait and Dawn Standley won the first set for YM-A 15-10. Pauela Finlay and Nicole Fenton, Donoughmore, controlled the next 2 sets, winning the game 15/10, 15/11. Carlow YM-A 1st Men, Victor Rigley and Richard Wallace won 2 sets to defeat Christopher Moody and Vincent Collar, Donoughmore, 15/6, 15/10. Donoughmore won 2nd Ladies 15/12, 15/6, when Elaine Daegan and Brenda Byrne outscored Deborah Collier and Tara Caldbad. Second Men’s went to Carlow YM-A with Ray James and David Ruddock outscoring Gordon Plant and Merlin Ouingtan 15/8, 15/6. This left the score at the break 2 games and a set to Carlow YM-A and 2 games for Donoughmore. Carlow YM-A players Victor Rigley and Deborah Collier,took 2 sets to defeat Christopher Moody and Breda Byrne, Donoughmore, 15/7, 15/9. Second Mixed was a win for Donoughmore. Pauela Finlay and Gordon Plant won the 1st set 15/8. Dawn Standley and Ray James, YM-A rebounded for a win in 2nd set, 15/10. Pauela and Gordon claimed the 3rd set 15/9. Donoughmore went on to win 3rd Mixed, again in 3 sets. Elaine Daegan and Merlin Ouingtan lost the 1st set 10/15, then won the next 2 sets 15/10, 15/12. Again a match hinged on 4th Mixed. Carlow YM-A had 3 wins in 2 sets each, so conceded no extra sets to Donoughmore. However, YM-A had picked off sets in 3 of Donoughmore’s 4 wins. David Ruddock and Tara Caldbad represented Carlow YM-A against Nicole Fenton and Vincent Collar, Donoughmore. The YM-A pair proved far too strong for the Donoughmore pair, and won 15-8, 15-7. Match results, a win for Carlow YM-A, 4 games and 3 sets to 4 games. Carlow YM-A qualified for the final by defeating Portarlington Parochial 5-1. Donoughmore defeated Clonenagh by the same score, 5-1.
The completion of the leagues finds most of the Southwest Leinster teams well into Knock-out Cup play. The League winners are engaged in preliminary matches leading to the Leinster semi-finals and finals in Baldoyle and Terenure Badminton Centres on 19 April.
S.W.L.B. League Results 2007/2008
Gr 1 Carlow L T C (10 sets) Carlow Y M 2 ( 5 sets )
Gr 2 Gurteen 5 Johnswell 0
Gr 3 Baltinglass 5 Carlow Y M 0
Gr 4 Rahan 5 Annacurra 3
Gr 5 Bough 4 (9 sets) Clonenagh 4 (8 sets )
Gr 6 Bough 4 (10 sets 211 aces) Carlow Y M 4 ( 10 sets 209 aces )
Gr 7 Carlow Y M 4 (10 seta ) Bough 2
South West Leinster Badminton League Results 2006/2007
League
Grade 1: Carlow L.T.C. 4 (9 sets) Carlow Y.M. 0
Grade 2: Killoughey 4 (10 sets) Portarlington parochial 3 (7 sets)
Grade 3: Rahan 5 Baltinglass 1
Grade 4: Portarlington Parochial 4 (9 sets) Carlow L.T.C. 3 (6 sets)
Grade 5: Athy R.F.C. 4 (10 sets) Bough 1 (3 sets)
Grade 6: Rahan 5 Carlow Y.M. 0
Knock Out Cup
Grade 1: Carlow L.T.C. 4 (10 sets) Killoughey 3 (8 sets)
Grade 2: Killoughey 4 (11 sets) Carlow L.T.C. 2 (5 sets)
Grade 3: Carlow Y.M. 5 Rahan 1
Grade 4: Johnswell 4 (9 sets) Callow L.T.C. 3 (6 sets)
Grade 5: Clonenagh 5 Bough 1
Grade 6: Bough 4 (10 sets) Carlow Y.M. 2 (5 sets)
Grade 7: Portarlington Parochial 5 Rahan 0
Mens Doubles
Class 3 Winners - Colin Sheridan & Edmund O'Reilly (Killeshandra Club, Cavan)
Class 4 Winners - Owen Somers & John Kelly (Knocklyon BC, Dublin)
Class 5 Winners - Steven Wu & Ger Barry (IT Tallaght BC, Dublin)
Ladies Doubles
Class 3/4 Winners - Lara Lewis & Laura Sherman (Ashbourne BC, Meath)
Class 5 Winners - Cathy Barry & Claire Woods (Beag's Beo, Dublin)
Mixed Doubles
Class 3 Winners - Suzanne Fitzpatrick (Baldoyle & District, Dublin) & Colin Sheridan (Killeshandra Club, Cavan)
Class 4 Winners - Esmé Denvir & Owen Somers (Knocklyon BC, Dublin)
Class 5 Winners - Cathy Ryan & Barry Gallagher (Beag's Beo, Dublin)
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