Rooney defeats country's top-ranked player to retain national squash title

Salthill man John Rooney ended the year in fine style at the weekend after retaining his national title in the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club on Sunday, defeating Ireland’s number 1 ranked player Arthur Gaskin 3-1 in an entertaining final.

Rooney made the major breakthrough last year when winning the national title for the first time – defeating Gaskin 3-0 in the decider- to become the first man from both Galway and Connacht to win the most prestigious title in Irish squash.

Gaskin took the first game in Sunday’s final as Rooney struggled to find his form, but the Galway star rattled off three games on the bounce to retain his title in impressive style.

Rooney’s career was under threat when he was struck with chronic fatigue syndrome for five years, a result of over-training, but he battled back to make a return to form in 2009 and clinch his first ever national title, having finished as runner-up on three previous occasions.

Rooney, an Irish international, is ranked just inside the top 100 players in the world in 99th place in the latest world rankings, which were last updated last month. His win sees him move up to 14th in the Irish rankings, as he missed the major tournaments such as the Connacht, West of Ireland, Mount Pleasant, Carlow, Munster, Leinster and Ulster Opens.

In the women’s section, Madeline Perry also retainer her title, defeating Aisling Blake on a 3-1 scoreline.