Press release: from Tournament Director
Laurence O'Donovan
KENNY RETAINS TITLE !
[Rooney falters after brave attempt while Mylotte takes Ladies
title]
Following 3 intensive days of squash at all levels over 3 Cork venues,
the Munster Open Squash Championships concluded with the finals of
all grades at Silversprings squash club in Tivoli earlier this afternoon.
Irish no. 1, Liam Kenny justified his top seed ranking
by seeing off the challenge of John Rooney in the
Men’s A final to retain his title. Rooney who was playing his
first tournament since developing a viral illness at the end of 2004
had demonstrated in the earlier rounds that he appeared to be back
to full health as he accounted for Paul Lenihan, Brian Byrne and the
no. 2 seed, his younger brother, Niall without dropping a game. He
was however always going to be facing a difficult task against Kenny.
Rooney, before his illness, had climbed to no. 63 in the world, while
Kenny has been placed higher than that for some time and is currently
at no. 47.
Today’s match opened at a keen pace with many service changes
keeping the score low for some time with neither player dominating.
Kenny, however displayed the greater nerve and made the fewer mistakes
eventually pulling clear to win the first game by 9 points to 4 in
20 minutes. The second game was again keenly fought with some long
punishing rallies obviously taking more out of Rooney than Kenny.
Even so, Rooney hung in and it took an excellently executed cross-court
kill into the nick at 7 all to hand the initiative to Kenny. He duly
closed out the game on a score of 9 points to 7 in 18 minutes. The
3rd game again began competitively, however the rigours of the first
2 games added to the effects of his recent illness and resultant reduced
levels of fitness had taken its toll. After only a minute of the third
game and following a long rally which took the score to 2 points to
1 in favour of Kenny, Rooney, somewhat surprisingly, pulled up in
discomfort, shook hands with Kenny and conceded the game and match.
The Irish selectors, along with the Irish squash viewing public will
hope this weekend’s games will have helped Rooney on the road
to full fitness.
Of the Munster players, Brian Knox of the Celtic
club in Waterford performed best narrowly losing 3-2 to Nick
Staunton in the 9th place play-off.
The Ladies A final was also keenly fought with top seed, Galway’s
Laura Mylotte overcoming the challenge of her Irish team-mate,
Eleanor Lapthorne of Highfield and recording a 3
games to love victory. Lapthorne who opened the tournament as the
no. 2 seed was unlucky to loose a close first game on a tie-breaker.
After that however, Mylotte who is based in Cheshire and playing a
high level of squash with the Grove Park club in Manchester was both
stronger and fitter and held control of the next 2 games.
Immediately prior to the “A” finals, the spectators were
treated to a gruelling 5 game Men’s B decider. It was eventually
won by Faisal Al Jassar, a former Kuwaiti junior
international now playing with the Mount Pleasant club in Dublin after
a dogged fightback from Conor Flanagan of Galway
Lawn Tennis club who had lost the first 2 games.
Finals Results in full as follows,
Men’s A Final
Liam Kenny (Wolverhampton & Sutton L.T.C.) bt John Rooney (Nottingham
& Galway L.T.C.) 3/0 (9/4, 9/7, 2/1 Rooney retired)
Men’s 3rd Place
Niall Rooney (NSRC & Galway L.T.C.) bt Arthur Gaskin (The Parke
& Carlow L.T.C.) 3/0 (9/2, 9/4, 9/1)
Men’s 5th Place
Brian Byrne (Fitzwilliam & Carlow L.T.C.) bt Dara O’Flynn
(Fitzwilliam) 3/2 (3/9, 1/9, 9/6, 9/3, 10/9)
Men’s B Final
Faisal Al Jassar (Mount Pleasant) bt Conor Flanagan (Galway L.T.C.)
3/2
Men’s B Plate Final
Anthony O’Connell (Silversprings) bt Richard Fitzgerald (Orchard)
3/1
Men’s C Final
Michael Mulhall (Highfield) bt Laurence O’Donovan (Highfield)
3/1
Men’s C Plate Final
Charlie Sturm (Silversprings) bt Cormac McMahon (Galway L.T.C.) 3/0
Men’s D Final
Tony O’Driscoll (Silversprings) bt Paul Macauley (Curragh) 3/2
Men’s D Plate Final
Timmy McCarthy (Highfield) bt Pat Keogh (Silversprings) 3/0
Men’s E Final
Dave Ronayne (Highfield) bt Cathal O’Boyle (Highfield) 3/0
Men’s E Plate Final
Anthony Wall (Silversprings) bt John O’Shaughnessy (Ennis CBS)
3/0
Ladies A Final
Laura Mylotte (Grove Park, Manchester & Galway L.T.C.) bt Eleanor
Lapthorne (Highfield) 3/0 (10/8, 9/3, 9/6)
Ladies 3rd Place
Katie Wilson (Ulster) bt Ciara Moloney (Carlow L.T.C.) 3/0
Ladies B Final
Joanne O’Neill (Highfield) bt Eleanor Fitzpatrick (Silversprings)
3/1
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