Ireland

Bridge notes: Ireland have to settle for second in junior championships as England enjoy double win

English team proved too strong at home-international competitions in Belfast, becoming the only team to beat the Irish

Séamus Dowling
Tue Feb 20 2024 - 06:00

England had a double victory at the junior home-international championships in Belfast at the weekend. Ireland finished second in both competitions. Isabel Burke, Tom Gorey, Eve Connell, Klara Flanagan, David Hoyne and Bence Ordsz (non-playing captain Margaret Murphy) had a dream start to the under-21 event with three early maximum scores. The big wins continued, but England proved too strong and was the only team to defeat the Irish. The under-26 side of Luca Crone, Matthew O’Farrell, Leah Finnegan, Denise and Sheila Walsh (NPC John Phelan) beat England with two rounds remaining and went on to be second. Scotland was third in both events.

Trials to select Ireland’s team to contest this year’s European and World championships reached the halfway mark in Templeogue. Four teams advanced to the final rounds in Templeogue, March 8th to 10th: 1. John Noonan, Carol-Ann Cummins. Zrinka Kokot, Pat McDaid; 2. Mairéad Haugh, Justin Corfield, Maureen and Bob Pattinson; 3. Marcin Rudzinski, Michelle Moloney, Claudia Dima, Sandra Newell, Karel De Raeymaeker, Anna Onishuk; 4. Terry Walsh, Bríd Kemple, Peter Stewart, Aoife MacHale.

Results: Intermediate and novice congress, Ballykisteen, Co Tipperary. Teams: 1. Margaret McCarthy, Maureen Cullotty, Mary and John Bourke; 2. Niamh Feeney, Joanne Macken, Nicola O’Dowd, Ena Souhan. Pairs: Mixed – Mary Madigan & Mossy Stack. Gala – Margaret Hogg, Dympna Ryan. A – 1. Anna Shalvey, Melissa Brady; 2. Bourke and Bourke B – 1. Kevin O’Dwyer, Seán Houston; 2. Pauline Duggan, Monica Ahern.

Sixty-four teams of four to eight players took part in the World Bridge Federation’s inaugural women’s worldwide online championship. The winners were a USA team while Joan Kenny, Jeannie Fitzgerald, Teresa Rigney, Siobhán Part, Louise Mitchell, Lucy Phelan, Hilary Dowling Long, Gilda Pender were best of the Irish in 19th place. Dolores Gilliland, Maria Whelan, Anna Carr, Margaret Farren, Ruth O’Dea, Anne O’Kane, Mary Treacy, Marian Davenport; Ann Burns, Ann O’Rourke, Mary Kelly-Rogers, Ann Murphy, Orla McEntee, Deirdre O’Halloran; Máire O’Connor, Suzanne Hill, Marie James and Adrienne Purdy also competed. The National pairs finals, open, intermediate A and intermediate B, for the Davidson, Laird and Civil Service cups respectively, will be played at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, Co Clare on Saturday and Sunday.

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Mark Moran, John Carroll, Nick Fitzgibbon, Adam Mesbur, Tom Hanlon, Frederic Volcker (NPC Gráinne Barton) will compete in the Lederer invitational tournament at London’s RAC club on Saturday and Sunday.

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