The 2009 West of Ireland Tennis Championships took place at Sligo Tennis Club over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Despite the impact of the recession, numbers taking part were up on last year, with around 180 players representing thirty clubs across the island of Ireland. This is a tribute to the hard work put in by the local committee, as well as the warm welcome given to the visitors by the Club and its members.

Some of Ireland’s leading players were in action this year, and which made for really high class tennis on the Sligo Courts, providing a wonderful spectacle for the many spectators over the weekend.

In particular, the Mens A and Ladies A Events produced some top class tennis, and the players enthralled the large attendance with the quality of their shots.

This year’s West was sponsored by Bank of Scotland (Ireland), with support from Brian Mullins Insurance Brokers, and the Glencar Water Company. That support is warmly appreciated in the current climate.

The sponsors were represented on the final day, with Packie Lynch from Bank of Scotland presenting the prizes to the winners.

The club was a hive of activity from first light, until late into the small hours, with a great sense of fun and friendship much in evidence both on and off the courts.

The increased numbers of matches meant that all Club and external courts were in use over the weekend, and the Club acknowledges the generosity of the many court owners who gave up their court and privacy over those days. The courts in Manorhamilton were also pressed into service for their first West, and are a credit to the local committee.

As always, the main interest centred on the top events, being the Mens and Ladies A singles competitions. Bulgarian-born Mariyana Levova, who lives in Navan, was playing in her first West of Ireland, but came as the No 1 seed. Indeed, she lived up her billing, and it easy to see why she would have claimed a place on the Irish squad for the Fed Cup were it not for some passport issues. Mariyana made short work of her opponents, winning the final against the hard working Aine Leonard on a score-line of 6/0, 6/2. Her quality of play is awesome, and a delight to watch.

Another rising star to grace Sligo this year was Castlebar’s Daniel Glancy. Daniel has been charging up through the junior ranks over the past few years, and was also making his West of Ireland debut this year. He also breezed through the early rounds, coming up against the reigning Mens Champion, Tom Mc Grath, in the final. Mc Grath, for all his experience and guile, was no match for his younger opponent, with Glancy winning comfortably by 6/1, 6/2. Daniel Glancy’s power and speed around the court was particularly impressive, and there is no doubt but that this year’s West of Ireland Champion will make a real impact at national level in the near future.

Glancy and Levova teamed up for the Mixed Doubles, and it was no surprise to see them emerge as comfortable winners against the Enniskillen pairing of Alexis Russell and John Maguire.

Glenn Norman was the best hope of a local winner in the Men A, but Glenn was narrowly beaten by Tom Mc Grath at the semi-final stage. However, he teamed up with Mc Grath to win the Mens A Doubles.

Christy Hennessy also kept the Sligo flag flying high when winning the Mens B Doubles with brother, Timmy, for the second year in a row.

Clodagh Lynch had a great run this year, reaching two finals, the Ladies C Singles, and the Mixed C, when partnered by Brian King. Unfortunately, the Sligo players came up against stiff opposition in the finals, and had to settle for second place. Michael Mc Gowan did very well to reach the Mens C Final, though will have to wait another year before claiming the silverware.

A few players picked up some minor injuries, and we hope to see them back on court in the near future.

Results

Singles.

Ladies A. Mariyana Levova beat AineLeonard 6/0 6/2

Men’s A  Daniel Glancy beat Tom Mc Grath    6/1 6/2

Ladies B Blanaid Mc Carthy beat G. Fitzsimmons 6/7 6/3 6/2

Men’s B Stephen Cuthbertson beat Derek Elliot 6/2 7/5

Ladies C Teresa Heery beat Clodagh Lynch (Sligo) 6/2 6/3

Men’s C Roddy Corbett beat Michael Mc Gowan (Sligo) 

              6/4 6/1

Ladies Doubles Aine Leonard & Kelly O’Flynn 

                          beat Christine Grier & Laura Shilling6/1 6/3

                         Imelda Julie Condon Blanaid McCarthy 

                         beat Karen Bleakley & Wendy Roberts 

                             6/1 6/3

                        Mary Concannon & Jean White 

                        beat Susan Mc Mahon & Liz Taylor

Men’s Doubles

                       Tom Mc Grath & Glenn Norman                                    beat                 Francis Venzon & Graeme Watt (Sligo) 

                        6/3 3/6 6/4

                      Christy Hennessy (Sligo) & Tim Hennessy 

                      beat Stephen Cuthbertson & Jimmy Mc Cutcheon

                      Jim Dolan & Stephen Fitzsimmons 

                      beat Paddy Keaney & Michael Murphy

Mixed Doubles

Mariyana Levova & Daniel Glancy beat 

Alexis Russell & John Maguire 

    6/0 6/2

Patricia Lynch & Timmy Hennessy 

beat Mary Barry & Francis Bonner 

7/6 6/0

Teresa Heery & Roddy Corbett 

beat Clodagh Lynch & Brian King (Sligo) 

6/2 6/1

Plate Doubles Winners

Ladies

A. Maggie Britton & Donna McSorley

B. Catherine Hurley & Pat McGoran

C. Deirdre Moylan & Karen Walsh (Sligo)

Men’s

A. Lorcan Gearty & Adam Suzin

B Tony Comiskey & Zolton Khasa

C Jim Dolan & Stephen Fitzsimons

Margaret Hennessy & John Hennessy (Sligo)

Christine Grier & Paul Coady

Rosin Canon & James Doyle (Sligo)