Emer Lalor has forged a special place in Galway badminton history when helping Galway to
claim this year’s All Ireland class 3 crown.
It is the first time in 30 years Galway’s intercounty team has won the All Ireland in that grade, and Lalor was also a member of that original winning team, thus achieving a remarable double feat 30 years later.
With Galway up against Kerry in the final, Emer Lalor set Galway on the road to victory in her singles encounter against Edel Broderick. It went to three sets before Lalor won the third to give Galway a 1-0 lead in the best of nine.
Damien Hehir was pushed all the way in his singles. Facing a scoreline of 18-20 in the deciding third game, the determined Galway player saved both match points and eventually won 22-20 to give Galway its second point.
Galway’s first men’s pairing of Ovidijus Zukauskas and Adrian Furey were involved in a great struggle, but edged a close game in two sets, while Caitriona Farrell and Susan Gilmore, despite going behind early in the first set, finished strongly to win before dominating the second set, putting Galway into a strong 4-0 lead. It was the youthful second men’s pairing of Ross Creaven and Bryan Lalor who clinched the fifth match, winning in two straight sets to seal the All Ireland title for Galway.
Earlier in the day Galway faced Cork in the semi-final. Lalor was matched against the experienced Aine Scully, and the Galway player, having lost the opener, had to use her vast experience and quality to edge the match 21-17 in the third set. In the men’s singles Damien Hehir was dominant is his match against Neil Moynihan, winning the match two sets to nil.
The first men’s double pairing of Ovidijus Zukauskas and Adrian Furey were up against a youthful Cork pairing of Conor Hayes and Paul Foy. Having lost a tight opening set, the Galway pairing faced a match point in a dramatic second set before eventually winning 24-22. The third set was equally dramatic before the Galway pair emerged winners by 21-18.
The second men’s pairing of Ross Creaven and Bryan Lalor also endured a dramatic encounter, eventually saving a match point to squeeze home 23-21 in the third set.
The second ladies’ pairing of Helen Sheehan and Joanne Gilmore, despite a strong performance, went down to Cork, while the first ladies’ doubles pairing of Susan Gilmore and Caitriona Farrell enjoyed a comprehensive victory in straight sets.
