Bourke takes two Munster senior badminton titles back to Kingdom
BADMINTON
TOM Bourke of Kingdom Club won two Munster Senior titles on Sunday last in Killarney. He captured the Munster Seniors Singles title, and in partnership with Cork's Tom Aherne he also won the Men's Doubles title. Indeed, Bourke was only two points away from completing the treble, being beaten in the Mixed Doubles final by two points.
In the men's singles, Bourke beat Gary O'Sullivan (Cork) in the semifinal 21-17, 21-13. In the final he faced Kenny Franks from Tipperary, with the Kerry man winning in three sets, 21-18, 13-21, 21-13. This was Bourke's fourth Munster Senior Singles title.
In the men's doubles final the Kerry/Cork partnership of Tom Bourke and Tom Aherne faced the Cork pairing of Gary O'Sullivan/Philip Collins. This was another three set contest, with some fantastic rallies. The title went to Bourke and Aherne 21-15, 9-21, 21-18.
The Senior Mixed competition gave many excellent games. Bourke, in partnership with clubmate Helen Twomey, booked his place in the final with a semi-final victory over Gemma Tobin ( Waterford) and Gary O'Sullivan (Cork).
The final was against the Cork pair of Caroline Hayes and Tom Aherne. This was very closely contested and went down to the wire in the third set with only two points separating the pairings. Twomey and Bourke took the first set 21-19, with the Cork pairing winning the second 21-19. The deciding set was absolutely nail-biting but the Leesiders edged in front taking it 21-19. Sinead Galvin (Killarney), Brid Murphy, Mary Brosnan (Kingdom), Billy Lacey, Michael Crossan (Kingdom), Fred Klok, Sean Murphy (Killarney), Barry Horgan (Listowel) THE Presentation Secondary School, Castleisland won the Munster Girls U-14 title in UL on Thursday last and now go forward to represent Munster in the All-Ireland Schools Finals in Gormanstown, Co Meath on March 27. The team is Lorna Mallon, Grace McCarthy, Adrienne McEllistrim and Roisin O'Connor.
Presentation Secondary School Tralee were runners up in the U-16 Competition with Darina Stack, Grace Stack, Rachel Gill and Jennifer O'Connor. THE Kerry Badminton Association hold their annual Table Quiz at O'Donnell's Bar, Mounthawk, Tralee, on Thursday, February 18. The support of all players and clubs would be greatly appreciated.
- Eileen O'Connor
