Badminton titles on line

Sonya McGinn and Michael Watt defend their singles' titles at the National Badminton Championships, which get under way today in Baldoyle. McGinn is seeking her fifth title at the end a week that saw her reach number four in the European rankings, the highest position of her career. The 1996 and 1997 winners, Elaine Kiely and Keelin Fox, should prove to be McGinn's closest challengers, while Watt's Ulster team mate Leslie Dewart is seeded to meet the Lisburn man in tomorrow's final.