| |
Kenny and Perry Take Titles in Dublin
Liam Kenny and Madeline Perry both successfully retained their
national titles in today's finals at the ILTB Irish Senior
National Squash Championships in Fitzwilliam. Kenny
again had to come from behind as he defeated the number two
seed John Rooney by three games to one. The first game was
a very cagey affair with neither player looking willing to
take any chances. Rooney managed to maintain a marginal advantage
throughout and took the game 11/9. Rooney then stormed into
a 5/3 lead in the second and the match seemed to be swinging
in his favour. However a few well played rallies from Kenny
coupled with some unforced errors from Rooney saw Kenny take
the next five points in a row to take an 8/5 lead. This was
a gap that Rooney could not close and Kenny levelled the match
at one game all.
The third game proved to be the decisive one as Rooney appeared
to tire considerably opening up the court for Kenny, which
the defending champion took full advantage of. Kenny proceeded
to dominate the remaining two games as he clinched the match
and with it his fifth national title. In the third place play
off Carlow man Arthur Gaskin continued his recent good form
as he beat veteran Derek Ryan by three games to one. The form
of Gaskin this weekend has been one of the highlights of the
event and he will look to come back next year and go even
further than his semi-final place this year.
In the Ladies Event Madeline Perry put on a flawless display
as she beat Sligo's Aisling Blake by three sets to nil and
secured her tenth national title. Perry has dominated the
women's game in Ireland in recent years and her achievement
of winning ten titles is one which must be applauded. The
World number nine, Perry, proved too good for Blake, and managed
to finish the match within half an hour. Perry took the first
game with relative ease, but Blake started the second extremely
well and managed to work herself into a 3/0 lead. However
Perry moved up through the gears with ease taking the second
set 11/6 and winning the third by the same scoreline.
In the third place play off Zoe Barr continued to upset the
seedings as she beat Tanya Owens the third seed by three games
to one. Barr will be delighted with her perfomance this weekend
as she adds the scalp of Owens to that of Kerri Lancaster
whom she defeated in the quarter-finals.
Men's A:
Final: (1) Liam Kenny 3/1 (2) John Rooney (9/11, 11/8, 11/6,
11/6)
3rd Place Play-Off: (4) Arthur Gaskin 3/1 (3) Derek Ryan (11/5,
8/11, 11/5, 11/5)
Ladies A:
Final: (1) Madeline Perry 3/0 (2) Aisling Blake (11/4, 11/6,
11/6)
3rd Place Play-Off: (5) Zoe Barr 3/1 (3) Tanya Owens (7/11,
11/5, 11/4, 11/7)
All pics below courtesy of Martin Maher:
All pics above courtesy of Martin Maher.
Irish Nationals
2007
Back to Top |
