BADMINTON: Gortnamona score a clean sweep and are crowned Offaly National School champions

Eight hours were required to determine the Offaly National Schools badminton champions in the Jim Cooney Memorial Competition played in Mucklagh Community Centre. Five 10 and Under teams with players representing nine schools led off the competition. They were followed by twelve teams representing 19 schools in the Over 10 competition.

10 AND UNDER: After the first round of the 10 and Under, there was evidence of a split in the level of skill of the players. The Gortnamona team of Liam Conroy, Kyle Newton, Páidí Corroon, William Keenan, Noah Treacy and Oisín Mahon defeated the Rahan-Durrow team of Joe Keyes, Sammi Walsh, Alice O’Rourke, John Clegg, Rahan, and Maise O’Brien, Durrow, 4-0. Gortnamona were well in control in all games.

Coolanarney Older, Michael Hanlon, Emily Cooney, Josh Murray, and Odhran Gralton, defeated Coolanarney Younger-Broughall, Annie Dillon, Seana Cooney, Caoimhe Cronley, Maeve Lambe, Rebecca Leonard, Coolanarney, and Hazel Harrington, Broughall. The older players were more skilful and more experienced than their younger schoolmates, and this was shown in the game scores. The older team won 4-0. The Amalgamated Schools of Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Mountbolus-Ballyboy, Ella Neville, Bria Quinn, Grainne Maher, Faye Dunne, and Aiden Young, met Rahan-Durrow. Finally, there were some close games.

Ella and Grainne, MRMB, defeated Joe and Maise, Rahan-Durrow, 11/8, and Alice and John, Rahan-Durrow went one better but still lost to Grainne and Aiden, MRMB, 9-11. Match score, 4-0 to Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Mountbolus-Ballyboy. The match between Gortnamona and Coolanarney Older was expected to be a very tight and competitive, but this didn’t happen. Gortnamona swept all 4 games. The closest game was between Kyle and Oisín, Gortnamona, and Josh and Emily, Coolanarney Older and finished 11/7 to Kyle and Oisín. When MRMB met Coolanarney Younger+Broughall, the match score was the same as all the other is the competition thus far, 4-0 to Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Mountbolus-Ballyboy. Unfortunately, none of the games were close and the CY+B girls were jumping up and down when they scored a point. The match between Rahan-Durrow and Coolanarney Older started off with all the parents on the edge of their seats. The score went up slowly with first one team and then the other ahead. Stress started to show between Joe and John, Rahan-Durrow and Michael and Emily, Coolanarney Older. Finally, on the last stroke of the game, Michael and Emily scored the point and Coolanarney Older won 11/10. Sammi and Maise, Rahan-Durrow, gave Emily and Josh, Coolanarney, a battle for a win, but fell away in the latter part of the game and lost 7/11.

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Four more points for Coolanarney Older. Finally, when Coolanarney Older mat Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Mountbolus-Ballyboy, the first competitive match was played. Ella and Grainne scored an 11/9 win against Michael and Emily. Josh and Odhran levelled the match for CO with an 11/4 win against Faye and Bria. Ella and Faye, MRMB, stepped up and outscored Michael and Odhran 11/6. The last game went to Josh and Emily, CO, against Grainne and Aiden. Match score, a 2-2 draw with CO ahead on point 37-29, if points were to become important. Again the Coolanarney Younger team struggled to score points when they met the Gortnamona team. A point scored brought a cheer from the players. Gortnamona won 4-0.

The battle of the two least experienced teams in the group pitted Coolanarney Younger+Broughall against Rahan-Durrow. CY+B were competitive, but R-D were stronger. CY+B scored 7, 6, 5, 9 points in their 4 games, their best result of the day, but R-D, with 11 points in each game won 4-0. Gortnamona’s last opponents were MRMB. Finally a team made the breakthrough and defeated Gortnamona. Faye and Bria, MRMB, in second doubles defeated Noah and Oisín on the last stroke of the game, 11/10.

This brought great jubilation to MRMB. However, the other 3 games were all 11/7 to Gortnamona. When wins were totalled to determine placings in 10 and Under, that win made no difference to Gortnamona, but proved very important to MRMB. Gortnamona finished 10 and Under Champions and received a cup to keep for the school, a perpetual shield to keep for the year, and Gold Medals for themselves.

Even though Coolanarney Older won the match on points between themselves and for MRMB, the win against Gortnamona meant Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Mountbolus-Ballyboy finished in the Silver Championship Medal position with 11 wins to only 10 wins for Coolanarney, so the points weren’t necessary. Coolanarney Older finished with the Bronze Championship Medals. The 4-0 win against Coolanarney Younger+Broughall propelled Rahan-Durrow into the Plate Winners Gold Medal. Coolanarney Younger+Broughall won the Plate Silver Medal. Paddy Cooney presented the medals and trophies in memory of his late father.

OVER 10 POOL A: With 12 teams playing in O10’s, the competition was divided into 2 pools of 6 teams. Playing in Pool A were Edenderry Schools, St. Mary’s and Scoil Bhride;

Rahan 1; Rahan 3, Rahan and Scoil Mhuire; Pollagh; Coolanarney Girls+1; and Gortnamona. Edenderry, Meehaul McKeon, Shay Curry, Ella Mangan, Millie Connolly, Luca Chelaru, and Rian Nolan, led off against Gortnamona, Reece Treacy, Fergus Lambe, Kate Doyle, and Lisa-Marie Newton. Gortnamona won 4-0 with only the 4^th doubles being competitive. Coolanarney Girls+1, Lucy Hanlon, Katelyn Guinan, Ava O’Malley and Michael Hanlon v Rahan 1, Charlie Larkin, Max O’Rourke, Conor Kenny, and Evan Craven was a much more competitive match.

Ava and Michael lost to Conor and Evan 10/11, but Lucy and AVA defeated Charlie and Conor 11/6. Rahan won the other 2 games for a win, 3-1. The match between Rahan-Scoil Mhuire, Eva Craven, Cara McEvoy, Rahan, and Clodagh Lavin and Alice Deering, Scoil Mhuire, and Pollagh, Derek McDonagh, Ciaran Farrelly, Aiden Farrelly and Saoirse McDonagh, swung back and forth. Derek and Ciaran, Pullough, won 1^st Doubles by a huge score, but Alice and Eva, RSM, won 2^nd doubles by the same score. Cara and Eva, RSM, won 3^rd doubles 11/7 and when Ciaran and Saoirse won 4^th doubles 11/5, the match finished in a 2-all draw with Pollagh ahead by 2 points, 30-28. Edenderry v Coolanarney Girls+1 threw up some more competitive games. First doubles went down to the wire with Edenderry scoring the final point to win 11/10. However, CG+1 won the next 3 games, 11/8, 11/7, 11/5, leaving the final score 3-1 to Coolanarney.

Gortnamona were ruthless when they met Pollagh, holding them to low single digit scores in all their matches for a 4-0 win. Rahan 1 met Rahan-Scoil Mhuire. Rahan 1 may have won 4-0, but Cara and Ava, RSM, took the game to Charlie and Max before they lost 9/11. Derek and Aiden stood up for Pollagh when they met Edenderry, winning 3^rd doubles 11/7. Edenderry won the other 3 games for a 3-1 victory Coolanarney Girls+1 never let Rahan-Scoil Mhuire into any of the games when the two teams met. CG+1 were victorious in all 4 games by huge scores. Rahan 1 v Gortnamona was a match spectators on both sides were looking forward to. Both teams had won their 1^st two matches 4/0, so a close, exciting match was expected. However, Gortnamona won 1^st and 2^nd doubles 11/7 and 3^rd doubles by a much bigger score. Only the 4^th doubles brought the expected excitement. Fergus and Kate and Max and Evan went point-for point with never more than 2 points between them. Fergus and Kate celebrated at the end when they scored the 11^th point for a 4-0 Gortnamona win. Edenderry made a big statement when they met RSM.

They never gave RSM a single point in 1^st doubles. The rest of the RSM team could score, but never enough to threaten Edenderry. Final match score, Edenderry 4-0. Derek and Ciaran gave Max and Charlie a run for their money in 1^st doubles when Pollagh met Rahan 1, but fell away in the end. Rahan1 got their quest for Gold back on track with a 4-0 win. Gortnamona scored a 4-0 win against CG+1. Ava and Michael ran up 9 points against Kate and Lisa-Marie and Michael and Katelyn managed 8 against Fergus and Kate, but they couldn’t score enough to break Gortnamona’s winning streak. Edenderry v Rahan 1 proved very competitive. Shay and Rian scored an 11/8 win for Edenderry. Conor and Evan levelled for Rahan. Shay and Meehaul squeaked past Charlie and Conor in 3^rd, 11/9.

Max and Evan salvaged a draw for Rahan on the last stroke of the game, 11/10. Rahan-Scoil Mhuire proved a scoring exercise for Gortnamona. The RSM girls never got to double digits. Gortnamona won 4-0. CG+1 were almost as ruthless against Pollagh. Only Derek and Ciaran could compete with their opponents, managing 7 scores. The remainder of the games were very one sided. Coolanarney Girls+1 4-0. When wins were totaled, Gortnamona went directly into a championship semifinal. Rahan 1 and Coolanarney Girls+1 were in Championship quarterfinals, and Edenderry and Pollagh went into Plate quarterfinals.

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OVER 10 POOL B

The lead-off game in Pool B pitted Clara, Sam Cornally, Adam Willis, Millie-Marie Kelly, and Chloe Moran against Ballyboy, Bláthnaid Collins, Jess Mahon, Katie Lambe, Shauna Rose Loonam, and Leanna Spollen. This match was competitive. Clara won 1^st doubles 11/6, but Ballyboy levelled in 2^nd doubles with an identical score. Third doubles went to Clara, and when the last stroke of 4^th doubles favoured Clara, 11/10, Clara registered a 3-1 victory.

Coolanarney Boys, Scott Heffernan, Danu Meehan, Cillian Cronley, and Aaron McQuade, met Rahan 2, Sam Bracken, Dylan Kearney, Adam Keyes, and Telford Stuart, the match never got off the ground. Coolanarney Boys won all 4 games by big scores. When a school has only 1 or 2 players, they are allowed to make a team with other players in a similar situation. Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Clonaslee, MRC, met Mountbolus-Scoil Eoin Phoil-St. Philomena’s, MSEPSP. Oisín Coleman, Noah Quinn, Mucklagh, Roisin Maher, Roscomroe, and Darragh Conroy met Oisín King, Bradley Troy, Mountbolus, Bobby Duffy, Scoil Eoin Phoil, and Leah Dunne, St. Philomena’s. MRC won 1^st and 2^nd doubles. Then MSEPSP won the 3^rd, but MRC took the 4^th for a 3-1 win for MRC. Clara met their match when they came up against the Coolanarney Boys. Coolanarney won all 4 matches by convincing scores. MRC v Ballyboy was probably the most competitive match of the day. Bláthnaid and Jess, Ballyboy, squeezed past Oisín and Noah 11/10.

Roisín and Darragh did slightly better for MRC, winning 11/9. Bláthnaid and Katie won against Oisín and Rósín for another 11/10 win for Ballyboy. Noah and Darragh finished the match with an 11/10 win for MRC against Jess and Leanna. With the score 2-2 points were added, 42 for MRC, 41 for Ballyboy. Rahan 2 and MSEPSP played out another 2-all draw. Bobby and Leah won 1^st doubles for MSEPSP. Adam and Telford countered with a win for Rahan 2. When Bobby and Oisín won the last point for MSEPSP, 11/10 the team’s hopes for a win rose. But Dylan and Telford dashed that hope scoring an11/9 win for Rahan 2. With a drawn score, points were counted, 38 for Rahan 2, 32 for MSEPSP. Clara and MRC continued on to make it 3-in-a-row of 2-2 draws. Sam and Adam won 1^st for Clara. Róisín and Darragh levelled for MRC. Sam and Millie-Marie put Clara ahead, but Noah and Darragh levelled with a big win. When points were counted MRC scored 36 while Clara scored 30. Points proved important to determine play-off places.

MSEPSP v Coolanarney Boys started the way all the other Coolanarney matches had with 2 wins in the first 2 games. The 3^rd game was different. The length of the rallies and the movement of the players was spellbinding. Bobby and Oisín held the lead as often as Scott and Cillian. Unfortunately for Bobby and Oisín, they made a mistake at the end which allowed and 11/10 win for CB. CB also won the last game for a 4-0 win.

Ballyboy went on a roll when they met Rahan 2. Rahan 2 challenged hard in 2^nd and 3^rd doubles, but never quite go across the line, both games 11/9. Ballyboy also won 1^st and 4^th for a 4-0 win. When MSEPSP met Clara, MSEPSP managed a win in 2^nd doubles, but Clara won the remaining games to earn a 3-1 win. MRC v Rahan 2 was a 4-0 win for MRC. The only close game was where Róisín and Darragh had to pull out all stops to defeat Adam and Telford 11/9. Coolanarney Boys showed no mercy when they met Ballyboy. Leanna and Shauna did challenge Aaron and Danu in 4^th doubles, but Coolanarney finished with a 4-0 win. Rahan 2 and Clara posted mixed results. Rahan 2 claimed 2^nd doubles, but Clara won 1^st, 3^rd, and 4^th, for a 3-1 win. MSEPSP started well against Ballyboy, winning the first game 11/7, but then the team ran out of steam and lost the next 3 games. Ballyboy scored a 3-1 victory.

The last match of the pool pitted MRC against Coolanarney Boys. The match went the way as expected with Coolanarney willing all 4 games Only Oisín and Róisín were a match for them, scoring 9 points against Scott and Cillian. When wins were tallied, Coolanarney Boys are through to a Championship semifinal. Clara and MRC both scored 11 wins, but MRC goes through as 2^nd place team by virtue of their 36-30 point win in the head-to-head. Both Clara and MRC are in Championship quarterfinals. Ballyboy and MSEPSP will play in Plate quarterfinals.

THE PLAYOFFS

Both Championship and Plate quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals/3^rd, 4^th were played at the same time. In the Championship, Coolanarney Girls+1 met MRC. Oisín and Noah were unlucky to lose 1^st doubles to Lucy and Katelyn, 10/11 for a CG+! Win. However, Róisín and Darragh answered back for MRC with an 11/3 win. Lucy and Ava put CG+1 ahead with an 11/9 win. Noah and Darragh scored a 2^nd win for MRC 11/8 to give them their 3^rd draw, and when points were added, they were ahead 41/35. MCR went into a Championship semifinal, and CG+1 into a Plate semifinal.

The second Championship semifinal was fought between Rahan 1 and Clara. Rahan started as they started most matches with 2 wins in the first 2 games. Then Sam and Millie-Marie put the brakes on Rahan with an 11/7 win.

Clara’s hopes for a draw were dashed when Max and Evan won 4^th, earning Rahan 1 a place in a Championship semifinal and relegating Clara to a Plate semifinal. In the first of the Plate Semifinals, Ballyboy managed a clean sweep of Pollagh, but just. Derek and Ciaran levelled with Bláthnaid and Jess at 10-all, but the girls scored the last point for Ballyboy. The remaining games were one-sided to Ballyboy. Ballyboy moved into a Plate semifinal, and Pollagh exited the competition. In the second Plate quarterfinal, MSEPSP were unable to match Edenderry. Although MSEPSP managed two 8’s for scores, that wasn’t enough to prevent a 4-0 win for Edenderry.

Edenderry went forward to a Plate semifinal and MSEPSP exited the competition. Ballyboy and CG+1 met in the first Plate semifinal. Lucy and Katelyn started with a win for CG+1. Jess and Shauna answered back with an 11/8 win for Ballyboy. When Ava and Lucy and Katelyn and Michael had wins for CG+1, Coolanarney was into the Plate final and Ballyboy had to play the game for 3^rd and 4^th. Clara and Edenderry met in the 2^nd Plate semifinal. Sam and Adam got Clara off to a flying start with an 11/9 win. Millie and Ella and Shay and Meehaul turned the tide for Edenderry with

wins in 2^nd and 3^rd. Adam and Chloe fought hard for Clara in 4^th doubles, but at the end, were short 2 points, a third win for Edenderry, 11/9. Edenderry moved to the Plate final, and Clara to the game for 3^rd and 4^th. Over in the Championship, Gortnamona continued on their merry way against Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Clonaslee. Oisín and Noah were slightly competitive in the first game, losing 8/11 to Reece and Fergus, but the gap between the two teams got wider the further down the line-up the games went.

Gortnamona won their way into the Championship final with a 4-0 win. MRC went into the game for 3^rd and 4^th. The match between Rahan 1 and Coolanarney Boys was everything a semifinal should be. The rallies were long, the clears were high, and the smashes were sent down sharply or into the body of the opponent. Scott and Danu defeated Charlie and Max for a win for CB. Conor and Evan got the same score against Aaron and Cillian to level the match score. Scott and Cillian put CB back in front with a big win against Charlie and Conor. When Max and Evan won the last game for Rahan 1, the pens came out to add the scores in the 2-all draw. The 7 points Aaron and Danu scored in the final game pushed CB across the finish line, since Charlie and Conor had only scored 5 in their loss. Coolanarney Boys qualified to meet Gortnamona in the final, a repeat of last year’s final, and Rahan 1 went into the game for 3^rd and 4^th. Ballyboy met Clara in the Plate 3-4 game. Were Katie and Shauna unlucky or were Millie-Marie and Chloe lucky to win an 11/10 score for Clara. Sam and Millie-Marie had another big win for Clara, but Adam and Chloe had to work much harder against Leanna and Shauna, but scored an 11/9 win. On the scoreline of 4-0, Clara finished 3^rd in the Plate and Ballyboy finished 4^th.

The Plate final between Edenderry and Coolanarney Girls+1 was a closer battle. Shay and Rian won 1^st doubles, 11/8. Ava and Michael levelled the score for CG+1 with an 11/7 win. Shay and Meehaul won the 3^rd game for Edenderry 11-7. Now Michael and Katelyn had to win and hold Edenderry to a low score for a CG+1 victory. That didn’t happen. Edenderry won 11/8. Edenderry were proclaimed Plate Winners and received the Gold Medals, and a Plate to keep in the school. Action continued in the Championship. Mucklagh-Roscomroe-Clonaslee met Rahan 1 in the game for 3^rd and 4^th. Oisín and Noah led off for MRC with an 11/9 win. Rahan quickly levelled with a big win for Conor and Evan. Oisín and Róisín tried but they couldn’t conquer Charlie and Conor in 3^rd.

When Max and Evan won 4^th, Rahan 1 sealed a 3-1 win for Plate 3^rd place. MRC finished in 4^th. Coolanarney Boys and Gortnamona squared off for the Championship final. It soon became apparent that two talented teams were playing and the team that made the fewest mistakes would be the winner. Scott and Danu drew first blood for Coolanarney, 11/7. Lisa-Marie and Kate sailed to a victory in the second game. Scott and Cillian fought every step of the way in 3^rd, but lost to Reece and Lisa-Marie 9/11. Fergus and Kate finished with a flourish for Gortnamona, winning 11/6. For the 2^nd year in a row, Gortnamona has claimed the O10 Championship trophy for the school, the Perpetual Shield, and the Gold Medals for themselves, all presented by Paddy Clooney. Gortnamona has equalled the record set by Lumcloon many years ago, with basically the same team winning the Championship 2 years in a row.

SCHOOL SIGNS

 To complete their winning streak, Gortnamona was awarded the prize for the best school sign depicting their school name and the sport of badminton. Pullough were second and Clara were third.

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