Junior Open Week
131 players representing 12 clubs from all parts of Ireland took part in this year’s Junior Open Week. It was a good week for local players particularly in the under 18 section.
Jack Byrne and Keith Doyle battled it out in a three setter final in the singles with Jack shading it 6-4 in the third set. In the girls under 18 singles Cliona Fennelly reached the final after a convincing semi-final victory over Claire Mulholland. However, Grace Durkin from Clonmel played great tennis to overcome Cliona in the final. Cliona had better luck in a later encounter with Grace when she teamed up with Serina Fogarty to win the girl’s under 18 doubles. She continued a good day when she partnered another Kilkenny star, Eamon O’Connor, to win the mixed doubles against tough local opposition, Jack Byrne and Serina Fogarty.
In the boy’s under 12 Ryan Donnelly from the Donnybrook club, who’s parents hail from Kilkenny, only dropped two games on his way to the final. In the final he encountered a very promising Kilkenny player, Ronan O’Connor but still took the title despite a great effort from Ronan. Donnelly went on to take the boy’s under 14 singles title.
In the girls under 12 singles, Katie Dore from the Naas Tennis Club but formally of Kilkenny had a great win over no 1 seed, Alyson Beringham from Dublin.
Another budding local star, Liam Fennelly, got to the final in the boy’s under 10 but it took Irish No 1 ranked player, Conor McCabe from Dublin to prevent Liam taking the title.
Club condolences
The Tennis club would like to convey its condolences to the family of the late Michael Wall. Michael along with rest of the Wall family have had a long association with the Kilkenny tennis club.
