Mixed League Finals 2009/10

The 2009/10 Mixed League Finals were the highlight of the local badminton scene as clubs gathered in January to decide the destiny of six mixed doubles league titles.

In the Road Dog Couriers division 1 final defending champions Taghmon were held to a 5-5 draw by New Ross in an exciting clash between Wexford’s top two teams over the past number of years.  New Ross was hit with the loss of Colm Byrne just before the finals as the club’s number one failed to recover from an injury picked up in training with the county team on Friday night.  Jimmy Sinnott deputised and Taghmon themselves were forced into changes with Aisling Chapman coming in to replace Deirdre Kehoe.  The Taghmon pairing of Edward Cousins & Alan Mackay won the opening men’s doubles game 21/19, 21/18 against Vincent Mackay & Jimmy Sinnott.  Laura Lynch & Laura Butler tied the score at 2-2 with an impressive 21/11, 21/12 victory over Siobhan Parle & Aisling Chapman.   Edward Cousins & Siobhan Parle won the opening mixed doubles in three sets against Mackay & Lynch to put the champions 4-3 up on the night.  Laura Butler & Jimmy Sinnott had the final say however as they overcame Alan Mackay & Aisling Chapman also in three sets to take the tie to a replay which is provisionally fixed for Friday the 19^th February.

The two New Ross sides met in the New Ross Community Workshop division 2 final and served up another trilling draw as the “A” side fought back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the match 4-4.  The fancied “A” side started confidently with Jimmy Sinnott and Seamus Creane winning the opening doubles in straight sets against Cian Doyle and sub Joe Ryan who was deputising for the injured Pat Lynch.  Laura Butler & Brideen Lynch levelled the match when they just about held off the challenge of Sandra Dunne & Ellen O’Neill to win in two sets 21/8, 24/22.  The “B” then took a shock lead with Laura Butler & Cian Doyle defeating Jimmy Sinnott & Sandra Dunne 22/20, 21/14 to leave the “B” side needing just a set in the final mixed doubles to secure an unlikely victory.  The 1^st set was ace for ace, but Seamus Creane and Ellen O’Neill hung on for the “A” squad to win the set 23/21 against Joe Ryan & Brideen Lynch and having survived the pressure they dominated the 2^nd set to win it 21/14 and tie the match 4-4.  The replay is scheduled for Wednesday night.

In the Remax South East properties division 3 final title favourites Taghmon just about held off the challenge of Shelburne to retain their title.   Shelburne’s Tomas Power & Christopher McMackin were the surprise winners of the opening doubles in an exciting 14/21, 21/12, 24/22 victory over Nicholas Murphy & Vincent Mackay.  The Dunne sister’s Eimer & Ciara put Taghmon 3-2 ahead with a straight sets success over Lisa Ryan & Sandra Dunne.  Tomas Power & Sandra Dunne had a fine 21/17, 21/18 victory over Eimer Dunne & Vincent Mackay, but Taghmon secured the title when Nicholas Murphy and Ciara Dunne just held off the challenge of Christopher McMackin and Lisa Ryan to win 21/14, 22/20 and give Taghmon a 5-4 victory.

In the Wexford Field Products division 4 championship Shelburne justified their favourite’s tag, but only just as they overcame a gallant Ballycogley side 6-4.  Paudie Foran & Tony Sinnott survived a stiff challenge from David Ryan & Damien McGuire to win 22/20, 22/20 and put the favourites 2-0 up.  Ballycogley’s Jacinta Dunne & Ella Sinnott were involved in a marathon three set encounter against Deirdre O’Connor & Carole Murphy which was won by Dunne & Sinnott 21/19, 19/21, 21/15.  Shelburne won the opening mixed doubles in straight sets with Paudie Foran & Deidre O’Connor defeating David Ryan and Jacinta Dunne 21/15, 21/17.  Despite a 21/18, 20/22, 21/19 victory for Damien McGuire & Ella Sinnott over Tony Sinnott & Carole Murphy it was not enough to prevent the Ramsgrange out fit from winning the title 6-4.

Shelburne won their 2nd title of the night in the Martin Scallan & Son division 5 final with a 5-2 victory over Clonroche.  Wayne Dunne & Dan Rossiter (Clonroche) lost to Paudie Foran & Eddie Kent 21/15, 21/17 in the men’s doubles, but the sides were level heading into the mixed doubles when Olynna Dunne & Niamh Dunne defeated Chantal Rowe & Lorraine Dunne 21/13, 21/14.  It was Shelburne however who held the upper hand in the mixed doubles as Paudie Foran & Lorraine Dunne overcame Wayne Dunne & Niamh Dunne 21/14, 21/14 and the title was secured when Eddie Kent & Chantal Rowe won the 1st set in the final mixed game 21/17 against Dan Rossiter & Olynna Dunne.

Winners of zones “A” & “B” clashed in the final of the Webb sports division 6 championship.  Both Ballycogley and Taghmon were impressive winners of their respective zones and both had impressive victories in the semi-final against St. Martin’s and Shelburne respectively.  It was Taghmon who started the more impressive as Noel Dunne & Des Winters overcame Paddy Moore and Dennis Moore 21/13, 21/19.  Mairead Mullins & Sandra Sinnott had the sides level with a 21/10, 21/17 success over Taghmon’s Caroline Cogley & Annette Browne.  A really superb and exciting opening mixed doubles game was eventually won by Ballycogley’s Paddy Moore & Mairead Mullins 18/21, 21/14, 30/29 against Noel Dunne & Caroline Cogley.  Ballycogley clinched the title when Dennis Moore & Sandra Sinnott defeated Des Winters & Annette Browne 21/12, 21/11.