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Last Updated 01/08/06

Donegal Retain Class 1 Title

In their 1st ever appearance in a class-1 All Ireland final newly promoted Wexford made a brave effort at dethroning the reigning champions Donegal in an exciting encounter in the Galway Lawn Tennis club.  The Donegal Squad have been unbeatable in this grade since 2002, and backboned by the talented Magee family from Raphoe they started the defence of their title in impressive fashion when winning both the opening singles games.  Sixteen year old Sam Magee showed just why he is so highly rated on the national circuit when he defeated Wexford’s Liam Sinnott 15/3, 15/2 in the men’s singles.  His eighteen year old sister Chloe the current Irish number two was also an impressive performer when defeating Orla Deegan 11/1, 11/2 in the ladies singles.  Wexford were in further trouble after both opening doubles games and a complete rout of the model county side now looked a distinct possibility.  Brothers Sam and Daniel Magee gave an exhibition in their men’s doubles against the Wexford number one pairing of Edward Cousins and Philip Walsh, winning 15/6, 15/4.  Chloe Magee and Heather Hartman easily won the opening set 15/4 against Siobhan and Deirdre Kehoe before the Wexford pair made a real fight of the 2nd set before losing it 15/13.  Donegal now held a 4-0 lead and were just one point away from their 4th consecutive title.  Wexford’s fight back began with the 2nd men’s doubles pairing of Donal O’Keeffe and Gavin Smith who put Leinster side on the score-sheet by winning an exciting match 8/15, 15/13, 15/12 against Alan Macbeth and Andrew Magee. The 2nd ladies pairing of Orla Deegan and Elaine Dunne narrowed the gap further when they overcame Kimberley Porter and Lorna Magee 15/11, 15/8.  The match was then thrown wide open when team captain Edward Cousins and the impressive Siobhan Kehoe brought Wexford within one point of the Ulster side when they won the opening mixed doubles game 15/6, 9/15, 15/9 against Daniel Magee and Heather Harman.  The tide was now turning very much in favour of the Leinster side, but disaster struck at the start of the 2nd mixed doubles game.  An injury to Philip Walsh forced him and Deirdre Kehoe to concede the game to Andrew Magee and Kimberley Porter to give Donegal a 5-3 winning margin and end Wexford’s dream of a 1st ever title in the grade for another year at least.

Wexford BUI Class 1 Squad 06