Leinster Senior Table Tennis Grand Prix ALSAA
The Leinster Grand Prix took place at the weekend of the 17th/18th November in ALSAA sports complex and it was a great success. Below is a piece on the tournament by Paul Dolan and a summary of the results.
NA NING IS KING
Dublin based Chinese Student Na Ning from China stayed top of the Irish Men’s Ranking by winning the Men’s single event at the Leinster Senior Table Tennis Grand Prix held at the ALSAA Sport Complex.
Ning came through a top class field of players, boasted by a host of talented new residents from many Eastern European Countries.
Number One Irish Junior Daniel Keenan from ALSAA put up a brave fight in the semi final against the vastly experienced Ning who started playing at four years of age in a top Chinese Academy. Trinity College student Leo Stymen from Germany narrowly beat Irish Senior International Peter Graham from Belfast in a superb match; 15 - 13 in the 5th set, to set up a Germany V China final. Leo could not get to grips with the pulsating forehand attacking style of Ning and had to settle for the runner's up spot.
With Dan’s clubmates Sam Hanley and Sam Logue playing a Junior Gran Prix event in England, Dan stole the show as well, claiming 3rd in the Men’s open, the runner's up spot in the Men’s Band 1 and winning the U21event with some super table tennis.
ALSAA’s Loreto Girls also had a great weekend, Rebecca Kenny beating her sister Sarah in the Band 2 final final on Saturday; Sarah however saved her best Table Tennis for Sunday reaching the Women’s open final only to lose to Nigerian Commonwealth player Atisi Owoh.
Sara Dolan won the Women’s Band 1 event beating the very experienced Audrey Cowan 3 V 0 to compliment her runner's up spot in last months Irish ranking Junior event in Belfast.
Other players competing over the weekend from ALSAA included:
Orla Byrne, Niamh Treacy, Linda Cashen, Kerry Phoenix, Nicole Brady, Stephen Keenen, Ian Ritchie, Eoin Byrne, Sam Logue, Andy Cambell and Ciaron Kelly.
There were a lot of great performances from our young players over the weekend. I hope it encourages more of them to put that little bit more effort in training and realise their full potential.
Paul Dolan.
Results:
Mens Open Singles
Quarter Finals
Na Ning bt David Hayes , Dan Keenan bt Philip Wallace, Leo Stynen (Germany) bt Conor Nolan,
Peter Graham bt Brian Fitzgerald.
Semifinals
Ning bt Keenan, Stynen bt Graham
Final
Ning bt Stynen 11-9, 11-8, 11-3.
Ladies Open Singles:
Quarter Finals
Atisi Owoh (Nigeria) bt Rebecca Kenny, Clodagh Mc Cullagh bt Sara Dolan, Teresa Devaney bt Aisling Healy, Sarah Kenny bt Sabina Kazimagomedova
Semifinals
Owoh bt Mc Cullagh, Kenny bt Devaney
Final
Owoh bt Kenny 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3
Under 21 Men
Semifinals
Dan Keenan bt David Hayes, Lukasz Zareba (Hungary) bt Corey ORourke
Final
Keenan bt Zareba 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-5
Under 21 Ladies
Semifinals
Sabina Kazimagomedova bt Kerrie Pheonix, Rebecca Kenny bt Aisling Healy
Final
Kazimagomedova bt Kenny 11-8,11-8, 11-9.
Restricted Singles
Semifinals Robert Gavin bt Brian Devereaux, Philip Wallace bt David Nolan
Final Robert Gavin bt Philip Wallace 11-8, 11-4, 11-7
Vets Final
Semifinals: Kevin Devanney bt Peter Koval, Kevin Mackey bt Julian Gittens
Final: Kevin Mackey bt Kevin Devanney 11-4,11-6, 11-2.
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SATURDAYS PLAY
Band 1 Men
Robert Gavin bt Dan Keenan before playing Leo Stynen in one semifinal.
Arther Sobel (Germany) bt Marcus McDonnell before playing Tibor Pofok (Hungary) in the other semifinal.
Sobel and Stynan came through to contest the final which Sobel won 11-9, 11-7, 2-11, 11-9
Women Band 1
Sara Dolan bt Deirdre Murphy before playing wheelchair player Kathleen Reynolds in one semifinal.
Rebecca Kenny bt her sister Sarah before playing Audrey Cowan in the other semifinal.
Dolan and Cowan came through to contest the final which Dolan won 11-8, 11-9, 11-9
Men Band 2
Semifinals
Tibor Pofok(Hungary) bt Brian Devereaux, Dan Keenan bt Attila Kovacs (Hungary)
Final
Pofok bt Keenan 12-10, 11-8, 11-8
Ladies Band 2
Semifinals
Sarah Kenny bt Niamh Buttimer, Rebecca Kenny bt Sara Dolan
Final
Rebecca Kenny bt Sarah Kenny 9-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8
Men Band 3
Semifinals
Karl OCallaghan bt Dave Butler, Attila Kovacs bt Maciek Szymanski
Final
Kovacs bt OCallaghan 6-11, 11-1, 6-11, 12-10, 14-12
Men Band 4
Semifinals
Dave Butler bt James Herley, Attila Mandler bt Maciek Szymanski
Final
Butler bt Mandler 11-9, 11-5, 11-8
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