Mark O'Flynn snatched his first Under 14 boys title from the jaws from the sleeping dragon. Mark played the final in the manner of the boy with the sword who tiptoed around the dragon so as not to wake him. He won the Leinster Open title in convincing fashion beating Keith Knox in the final in three straight sets.
The previous rounds saw Mark beat club mate Andrew Holohan in the Semi final. Andrew had survived a two sets to love deficit in the quarter final to David Budden to win three - two aftera gallant fight back and must have fancied his chances of a final berth himself as he was playing very well. But Mark was the man of the moment playing as confidently and as focused as at any time to win 3-0 and claim his spot in the final.
Niall McDonnell was also a quarter finalist and he was one of Keith's victims on the way to the final. Niall had overcome another club mate Conor Morgan in the last 16 while Gavin Maguire made a surprise early exit to an in-form Ryan Flood from St. Johns. Shane Foster had also gone out at last 16 to Mark who was in unstoppable form.
In the final Mark played a cagey game in the open sets and Keith seemed strangely subdued but he came alive in the third but Mark proved himself up to the challenge with a fine display of consistant forhand topspins. there was some cut and thrust but Mark ran up a 10-4 lead before Keith theatened to wake from his slumber and reeled off 3 points in a row before Mark clinched the match and the title.
It is Mark's first Leinster Open title and his first Under 14 title. It was third time lucky as he has been in two other under 12s finals but lost on both occasions. Last year the Norwegian Mattias Borgersen won against Mark in the under 12 final and previously Niall McDonnell won in the under 12s final against Mark. Mark has also won three other Under 12 Provincial Open titles.