Clarke and Hanley claim Connacht Open titles
The organisers of the Connacht Tennis Open were proven correct in their decision to move the annual tournament from its traditional October date to the June Bank Holiday, with the 2013 running of the event played out in glorious sunshine at Galway lawn Tennis Club last weekend.
There was an entry of over 100 players from all over the country but the locals dominated with strong performances in all categories. Even the singles champion Justin Clarke from Australia has become an Irish citizen and he enjoys playing in Galway so much he is considering declaring for the Connacht Team.
The Irish-Aussie retained his title with a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 victory over Knocknacarra native, Mark Smyth. Smyth however, who is currently Head Coach at Omagh Tennis Club, came back to the West to retain his doubles title with Al Waterson in the undoubted Match of the Day on Bank Holiday Monday.
Spectators and fellow competitors gathered to watch a tense battle between the GLTC pair and James Crowe and CJ Kelly from Limerick, with Smyth and Waterson retaining their title in a tie-break in the third set.
Marion Hanley collected yet another Connacht Open title, sweeping all opposition aside and defeating Ann-Marie Darcy (Nenagh) 6-3 6-3 in the Ladies Final. The Barna native then partnered Francis O’Connell (GLTC) to the Mixed Final where they lost a close match 7-6 6-3 to top seeds Alan McCormack and Niamh Burke from Sligo.
O’Connell contested the B Singles Final where he lost another tight battle with Dermot Dolan (Sligo) 7-5 6-2, but there was further local success when Rita Halloran captured the B title with a 3 set victory over Lisa Lyons (Donnybrook).
However there was joy in the Lyons household when mother-and-daughter pairing Denise (Carrickmines) and Lisa overcame Helen Lawless and Olivia Deely (dual GLTC and Loughrea members) 6-1 4-6 6-3 in a tough three-setter to clinch the Ladies B Doubles. The C title was played in a round-robin format and went to the pairing of Niamh Gavin and Sinead O’Donoghue (Castlebar).
The Men’s B Doubles title was won by Robert Johnson (Ballinasloe and Loughrea) and Mike Geraghty (GLTC). This was the pair’s second Connacht Open title and third Open doubles triumph. They had a dogged battle with Adrian Reilly and Paul Royston (Loughrea).
Reilly had a tough day, suffering defeat in the C Singles Final at the hands of Mahmoud Giumaa in 3 gruelling sets followed by an injury retirement at 5-7 4-4 in the doubles final.
There was an all-local battle in the final of the B Mixed with Brendan Murtagh and Serena Silke defeating Gerry Smyth and Helen Lawless 6-4 6-7 6-2 in yet another 3-setter. In the C Mixed, Patrick Conlon and Josie Connaughton from Loughrea beat the sibling pairing of Fran and Ger Keane (Claremorris and GLTC) 6-4 7-6.
There were plate victories for Deirdre Byrnes (GLTC) and Richard Duggan (Mount Pleasant) in the C Mixed, with Tadgh Ó Conghaile (GLTC) and Orla Ni Sheaghdha (Mount Pleasant) winning the B event.