The West’s Awake as Annascaul Hosts Wonderful League Finals

Kingdom and Moyvane Capture Mixed League Titles in Annascaul

A large number of badminton enthusiasts made the journey back to West Kerry on Monday night (April 29th) as Annascaul played host to the CPC.ie Kerry County League Division 2 and Division 4 finals.

The Listowel club who have boosted a very successful season at both Juvenile and senior level had teams in both finals.

In the Division 2 final they were to come up against Kingdom – Castleisland whilst they were to meet their local neighbours Moyvane in the Division 4 final.

The Division 2 final could not have got off to a more exciting start as the onlooking gallery were treated to top notch singles games and there was absolutely nothing separating the players in both games.

In the ladies singles Ruth Concannon (Kingdom) got off to a great start by taking the first set against Patricia O Herilhy (Listowel) 22-20. O’ Herilhy took a brilliant second set 24-22 and players still had the energy to serve up some thrilling rallies in the decisive third set but O Herilhy prevailed eventually 21-19 to make it advantage Listowel.

As a Division 1 players Fergal Hannon of Listowel started each set against Aaron Tan (Kingdom) at -5. However it looked like he was still going to make easy work of this game when he double scored Tan in the first set taking it by 21-13. However Tan got off to a great start in the second set and Hannon was always playing catch up as the Kingdom man took it 21-16. Despite Hannon getting off to a much better start in the third set Tan hung in well and a stillness encapsulated Annascaul and you would be able to hear a pin drop when the game reached 1-1 in sets  and 20-20 in points. Tan took the decisive last point and celebrated ecstatically as Kingdom tied up the match 1-1.

The ladies doubles threw up a meeting between Brid Murphy and Michelle Beazley (Kingdom) and Mairead Regan and Valerie Guiney (Listowel). Despite playing at Division 4 level the very talented Guiney put in a wonderful performance for Listowel but eventually the more experienced Kingdom duo took the game in two sets (21-19, 21-13).

Team Captain Ruth Concannon (Kingdom) discusses tactics with Michelle Beazley and Brid Murphy
Paddy Redmond (Listowel) offers words of encouragement to teammates Valerie Guiney and Mairead Regan

Kingdom would then open a 2 point lead and go 3-1 up as Aidan McCarthy and Mariusz Tusinski overcame the challenge of Paddy Redmond and Tom McElligott 21-9, 21-16.

All four players that featured in the singles earlier on when face to face in the first mixed with the Listowel pairing starting sets at -5 again due to Hannon’s grading. Hannon and O Herlihy won the first set 21-16 but the Kingdom pairing battled brilliantly in the second set and took it 21-15. However Hannon and O Herlihy found something in the reserves of and took the third set quite comfortably 21-11 making it 3-2 overall to the Kingdom.

Brid Murphy and Aidan McCarthy who had reached a county championships final together earlier in the season only to be beaten by team-mates Concannon and Tan started the second mixed game against Mairead Regan and Tom McElligott as warm favourites and took the game in two sets meaning Castleisland had captured the division title for the first time since 2015.

Tom McElligott & Mairead Regan (Listowel)
Brid Murphy & Aidan McCarthy (Kingdom)

Kerry County League Div 2 Mixed Champions 2019 Kingdom

First up in the Division 4 final was the Ladies singles. Breda Flavin contested this game for Moyvane and another rising Listowel Juvenile star Grace Guiney represented Listowel. Flavin had been beaten by Grace’s older sister Valerie in the County Championship singles title earlier in the season but was able to exact a certain degree of revenge on the Guiney family by taking this contest in two sets 21-17, 21-12.

Grace Guiney (Listowel)

In the Men’s singles Michael Collins (Moyvane) was always in control against a game Donal Daly taking it in two sets 21-9, 21-9.

Michael Collins (Moyvane)
Donal Daly (Listowel)

In the Ladies Doubles Karen Lawlor and Esther Galvin (Listowel) got off to a pretty good start against Michelle Corridon and Marie Kennelly (Moyvane) but eventually went down in two sets 21-14, 21-12.

Karen Lawlor & Esther Galvin (Listowel) with team Captain James Sheehan
Marie Kennelly & Michelle Corridon (Moyvane)

At 3-0 down it was up to the Listowel Doubles Men pairing of James Sheehan and Mike Reardon to prolong the match and keep Listowel in the match.

James Sheehan and a very determined Mike Reardon (Listowel)

Despite a promising start it was all looking ominous for the Listowel men as they trailed John Newman and Liam O Connor 19-14 in the first set. But with great heart and determination they battled on and eventually took the first set 23-21. In a game that produced many great rallies the Moyvane pairing won the second set 21-17. The third set was another thriller with all points hard won but Moyvane came through in the end 21-18 and thus captured the newly named Mike Corridon Cup aptly called after their long running club officer.

Moyvane have now won the Division 4 Mixed league four years in a row which is a great achievement by the North Kerry club.

The teams played out two of the three mixed games with Barry O Callaghan and Marie Kennelly (Moyvane) overcoming the Listowel pairing of Tom Rice and Grace Guiney 21-19, 21-11 whilst Michael Collins and Breda Flavin (Moyvane) defeated Mike Reardon and Karen Lawlor (21-19, 21-10)

Chairperson of the Kerry Badminton Association presented the cup to clubmate and Kingdom winning captain Ruth Concannon and Mike Corridon was on hand to present the cup named in his honour to the Division 4 winning captain Michael Collins.

Well done to the Annascaul club, their members and members of the Killarney club for doing a super job as hosts of the event and on doing officiating and admin duties on a  highly entertaining night of badminton.

Kerry Mixed County League Division 4 Champions 2019 Moyvane with supporters
Members of the Listowel Division 2 and Division 4 Mixed County League teams. Runners-Up 2019
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