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Last Updated 01/08/06

There was semi-final heartache for Shelburne at the Leinster Inter-club finals held in the Leinster Badminton Headquarters in Terenure.  For the 2nd year running Shelburne lost at the penultimate stage, going out in the semi-final to club championship specialists Vicarstown from Meath in grade four.  The opening doubles matches were shared with the Wexford side coming out on top in the ladies and Vicarstown taking the spoils in the men’s.  Ailish O’Hanlon and Lisa Ryan had an impressive 15/7, 15/6 victory over Fiona Fenlon and Catherine Doyle, but Sonny Cahill and Tony Sinnott lost narrowly 15/13, 15/12 to Murt Dunne and Liam McEvoy.  Dympna Molloy and Olive Waters were then well beaten 15/3, 15/4 by a strong Meath pairing of Alina Kingsley and Caroline Whelan and Shelburne were struck a massive blow when Kevin Doherty damaged his hamstring at the start of the 2nd men’s doubles game and he and Paudie Foran were forced to concede the match.  Ailish O’Hanlon and Sonny Cahill reduced the arrears to 3-2 when they won an exciting 1st mixed 17/16, 12/15, 15/10 against Murt Dunne and Catherine Doyle.  Vicarstown edged close to the winning post when they took the 2nd mixed with Liam McEvoy and Alina Kingsley defeating Tony Sinnott and Dympna Molloy 15/7, 12/15, 15/8.  Shelburne now needed to win all remaining games in straight sets and Olive Waters and Paudie Foran kept them in the match when they won the opening set 15/8 at 3rd mixed.  It was all over soon after however when Mick Dunne and Fiona Fenlon turned the tables in the 2nd sets to take it 15/5 and the Meath champions were on their way to the afternoon’s finals.

In the division five semi-final Galbally faced Tullought from Kilkenny knowing that the victors in the match would receive an additional boost ahead of the Wexford division five Knockout Cup final scheduled for the following Wednesday night.  It was the Kilkenny champions who started the better and they were 3-0 ahead before Galbally began their fight back.  Wayne Dunne and Dan Rossitter lost in three sets and Catriona Walsh and Olynna Dunne went down in straight sets in the opening doubles games.  Pat Dunne and Ronan Murphy were well beaten in the 2nd men’s doubles, but Deirdre Barron and Niamh Dunne got the Wexford champions on the score-sheet when they won the 2nd ladies.  There was just a point between the sides after the opening mixed doubles with Wayne Dunne and Catriona Walsh winning a close and exciting game in three sets.  Hopes of a dramatic comeback were quickly dashed when Tullought won the next three games on the trot.  Dan Rossitter and Olyyna Dunne lost in three sets, Ronan Murphy and Deirdre Barron in two and Pat and Niamh Dunne went down in three sets to send the Kilkenny side to the final in impressive fashion.

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