Many congratulations to the Irish Open team of Mark Moran, John Carroll, Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, Nick FitzGibbon, Adam Mesbur, and NPC Gráinne Barton, which finished sixth in the recent European Championships in Madeira, earning a qualification spot for next year’s World Championship (Bermuda Bowl) in Marrakech in the process. The team was in contention throughout, winning 19 matches out of 29, and a three-match winning streak against three of the toughest opponents, eventual winners Netherlands, runners-up Switzerland, and highly-rated but ultimately unsuccessful Sweden, created a good gap in the race for a qualifying spot, and meant that all that was needed from there were continued solid performances and strong nerves. Well done to all on a great achievement, based upon a lot of hard work, in the past few pandemic-hit years in particular, where the team has taken every opportunity to compete in the highest-level and most testing events.
And heartfelt commiserations to our Women’s squad Teresa Rigney, Diane Greenwood, Rebecca O’Keeffe, Gilda Pender, Joan Kenny, Jeannie Fitzgerald, and NPC Paul Porteous, which missed out on the final automatic qualification spot for the Venice Cup by the most agonising of margins, just 1.01 Victory Points, after 19 matches (although extra places may become available depending on results and take-up from other geographic zones). They won 9 of those, and drew one, beating four of the eight qualifying teams, including the ultimate winners Poland, in the process. They always had a battle on their hands for the final qualifying spot, and unfortunately a narrow defeat to Iceland in their final match put it just beyond reach. Well done to all nevertheless on a fine performance, and fingers crossed for an appearance at the world championships.
Unfortunately, neither our Senior (BJ O’Brien, Ranald Milne, Terry Walsh, Peter Goodman, Micheál Ó Briain, Pádraig Ó Briain, and NPC Derek O’Gorman) nor our Mixed (Carol-Ann Cummins, John Noonan, Sandra Newell, Michael McAuliffe, Louise Mitchell, David Walsh, and NPC Diarmuid Reddan) teams ever really got going, and both finished down the field. We did learn from the championship bulletin that BJ is planning an autobiography, which should be entertaining.
We also have a good performance to report from the Women’s Pairs, however, where Ann O’Connell and Dolores Gilliland became only the fifth Irish pair to qualify for the final of the event since it was inaugurated in the 1980s, eventually finishing in fourteenth place. And of course we were also represented at the championships by our international Tournament Director, Fearghal O’Boyle, as a key member of the officiating team.
Our thanks to all those who represented us in Madeira, and to all who either travelled out to support them or followed the championships from back home. You’ll find all the results here.