Right up where you belong - Conor,Andy and Gavin set the record straight |
|
|
Two Irish Ranking tournaments -Two different results as Conor, Andy and Gavin improved on their previous performances to reach a more satisfactory position on the Irish Ranking list. Conor came out blasting to win the tournament and put himself in the joint top ranking spot with two tournaments played. Gavin improved on a previously disappointing 8th place finish in Cork by reaching the final. Andy played some of his best Table Tennis of the year so far to reach the quarter-finals and move up to eighth joint place on the ranking list. John Murphy was in the final with Conor and that leaves him joint third in Ireland. It was a great tournament and Mark O'Flynn who has had two excellent tournament so far this season was a bit disappointed to go out in the quarters but it was still a great performance. Conor and Andy played a superb game in the quarter finals. Conor was playing very well and Andy matched him for most of the game with a very tight match seeing Conor win out 11-9, 13-11,11-9. It was another example of tremendous play from Andy who had eased his way into the Quarters by beating Ross Cullen 3-0 and Diarmuid O'Connor 3-0. Then in the semi-finals Conor played ferocious forehand topspins to beat Sean Brady 3-0. In the final John played well but it was Conor's day and having come through so magnificently he was not to be denied though John did take the third set. Gavin was superb in the Under 12s winning his way to the final by beating No1 Niall McDonnell 11-8, 5-11, 14-16, 11-8, 11-7 in the semi finals. It was a great match and particularly as Gavin had served off at 14-13 up in the third and allowed Niall to snatch a 2-1 lead. He then did very well to come back and win the final two sets and clinch the match. Mark O'Flynn lost out to eventual winner Patrick Guy in the quarter finals and although he was not that happy with his performance, he had won through a tough last sixteen group with Carl Ivory and Fergal Flanagan. |