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Leinster Inter-County Juvenile Championships

Under-15 Championships 2007

A much depleted Wexford under-15 team made a brave effort to retain their under-15 inter-county title at the Leinster Championships which were held last weekend in the Baldoyle Badminton centre.   Minus the services of Dimitri Panagopoulos and Clodagh Kent the team were severely under strength, but yet came within a whisker of reaching their 2^nd final in a row.  In the morning round robin events Wexford had an easy 5-0 victory against both Meath 2 and Kilkenny to qualify for the afternoon semi-final.  In the semi-final Wexford faced Meath, while Dublin 1 and 2 contested the 2^nd semi-final.  The singles were shared with Thomas Power losing to Neil O’Flathery, but under-13 star Ciara Dunne had a fine victory in the girls’ singles over Siobhan Jones Evans.  Meath took an unassailable lead however when the doubles pairing of Tomas Power and Andy McGrath and Eimer Dunne and Gemma Creane both lost to give the royal county a 3-1 lead.  Eimer Dunne and Nicholas Murphy did take the final game, but victory went to Meath 3-2.  Wexford last remaining hope of a medal now rested with  the 3^rd and 4^th place play-off against the Dublin 2 team.  A close opening singles was won by the Dublin player Rory Curry 30-23 against Nicholas Murphy.  Dublin then went two up when Ciara Dunne lost her only game of the day when going down 30-22 to Fionnula O’Gorman.  After the long days play the young Wexford squad not began to wilt and Dublin secured the bronze medal place when they won both doubles.   Wexford team:  Ciara Dunne, Eimer Dunne, Gemma Creane, Thomas Powder, Andy McGrath, Nicholas Murphy.  Managers Clem Daly and Seamus Creane.