Junior squash kicked off in earnest this weekend with Galway LTC hosting the Connacht Junior Squash Championships and it turned out to be quite a weekend for Carlow’s young squash players.
Elaine Ware was crowned the new queen of Connacht after she took the U15 title in emphatic fashion following along the lines of previous Carlow winners of this event – Ciara Moloney and Róisín Brennan. Elaine seeded 6th defeating Labhaoise Dunbar from Waterford 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 she then turned her guns on the favourite Breanne Flynn from Dublin and lost the first 11-6 but stormed back to win 8-11, 11-9, 11-9 in a terrific game. In the final she was far too good for Órna Murray, also from Waterford, and won comfortably 11-8, 11-6, 11-8.
Katelyn Doran finished third overall in the U-17 event. Katelyn was the group winner of section B and was then paired off with the other two group winners to decide the overall winner. Here Katelyn was two games up on each of her opponents and could not close the game out resulting in a third place.
Casey Luther finished an exciting fourth in the girls U11 event and Fiona Murphy was 4th in the U15 girls. Melanie Ní Bhroin had a good tournament finishing 6th in the U17 event.
Conall Murphy had two wins from four matches and finished an excellent fourth in the U17 boys with Cathal Hennessy seeded 11th finishing off a good tournament with a win over the number 5 seed, Daniel L’Estrange, Dublin 11-7, 12-10, 9-11, 8-11, 7-11 to finish 7th.
Shaun Hennessy had to withdraw due to injury during his second match where he defeated the number 2 seed Conor O’Shea 3/0 in the U15 boys and finished 8th overall.
Jim Kenny’s tournament effectively ended when he lost his qualification match to Callum Lee 11-6, 11-9, 11-7.
In the U19 boys event Seamus Harmon finished 6th and Enda Holohan 9th.
Ryan Luther in the U13 boys event was seeded 12th and he finished 6th overall defeating the number 5 seed Shane Maher from Tipperary in the first round.
While the Carlow juniors were in Galway this weekend, two other Carlow players were in Linz, Austria, helping their club Fitzwilliam LTC compete in the European Club championships. This event brings the national club champions from each country to compete for the best club in the men’s and ladies sections.
Rory Byrne and Róisín Brennan played a huge part in helping Fitzwilliam to fourth place in the ladies and to 6th place in the men’s event.
