Ireland

Bridge notes: Congress pairs championship brings top-class field to Galway

Peter Goodman and Dan McIntosh win pairs championship by comfortable margin

Ireland’s team selections for the European championships in Denmark in June and for the World Bridge Games in Argentina in October have been completed

Seamus Dowling
Tue Apr 2 2024 - 06:00

The pairs championship at Galway congress at the weekend attracted a top-class field that included international players and overseas competitors. The winners were Peter Goodman and Dan McIntosh, who had a comfortable margin to spare over Ciaran Coyne and David Walsh, with BJ O’Brien and Tim Gauld third.

The intermediate competition went to Marion Keane and Margaret McCarthy who won narrowly from Kaye Duddy and Patricia Eames. Mary and Niall Barry were third. Mixed pairs: 1 – Mary and Kieran Corban; 2 – O’Brien, Teresa Rigney; 3. Tie: Bernie and Jeroen Lodewijks; Orla McEntee and Mark Tierney. Swiss pairs: 1 – Seán Connor, Jim Doyle; 2 – Steve Bearpark, LizAnn Doyle; 3 – Gay Keaveney, Diarmuid Reddan.

Tom Hanlon with American and Israeli team-mates finished in a tie for fifth in the first American major championship of the year (Vanderbilt trophy) in Louisville, Kentucky. They lost narrowly in the quarter-final to the eventual winners, a USA team led by former, many-times world champion Nick Nickell. Hanlon’s team went on to finish third in the Swiss teams (Jacoby cup).

Ireland’s team selections for the European championships in Denmark in June and for the World Bridge Games in Argentina in October have been completed with the addition of BJ O’Brien and Terry Walsh to the senior side while Harold Curran, Paul Porteous and Diarmuid Reddan have been appointed non-playing captains of the senior, women’s and mixed teams respectively.

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Correction: The result of the national intermediate B championship (Tierney trophy) originally announced by the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (CBAI) and published in last week’s bridge notes was incorrect: The result should read: 1 – Tom Roche, Joan Peppard, John Higgins, Dillon Murtagh (North Midland region); 2 – Brian Corkery, Con Bushe, Robert Wolfe, Kevin O’Connell (Eastern); 3 – Frannie and Triona Byrne, Carmel Walsh, Tony Flaherty (Western). Apology to all affected by the error.

Tralee international congress will begin on Friday evening at the Rose hotel with one-session pairs competitions. Two-session pairs events will be played on Saturday and the congress will end on Sunday with the team tournaments. On Saturday morning grandmaster Donal Garvey will lead a discussion on hands played. Entries: Nicky Fitzgibbon 066 7185471

Greystones bridge centre will hold an open week from Thursday to Sunday next. Events include competitions for intermediate B and novice players on Thursday and for area masters and intermediate A grades on Friday, starting at 7.15pm each day.

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