Sandycove Over-65 Class 2
Our Over-65 Class 2 team officially comprised of 1. Tim Eaton & Michael Butler, 2. David Murphy & Ken Peare, 3. Pat Giles & Giles Kerr had progressed to the final v St. Mary’s away on 25th October last without losing any of their matches en route. Having been in the runners-up spot in the finals last year we were determined not to repeat this again.
On the day and indeed for most of the matches we relied on a very strong subs bench. The team in St. Mary’s was 1. Tim Eaton & Michael Butler, 2. Giles Kerr & Stephen O’Brien and 3. Pat Giles and Dermot Finucane.
First off the court by only a few minutes were Pat Giles and Dermot Finucane at No3. Having lost the first set 6/2 to a very strong partnership, PG and DF altered their game (by changing sides!) and won the second 6/2 in a total turnaround. Alas the champions tie-break did not go our way and we lost it 10/4. It was the first defeat for ‘Patman & Lobbin’ in the competition!
The other two matches were now both at critical stages. Tim Eaton and Michael Butler at No1 had eased themselves into the match. The hosts won the first set 6/3 and Sandycove won the second set 7/6 in a cliff-hanger. Both Tim and Michael, not surprisingly, played with cunning and no mean ability to push themselves across the line 10/6 in another Champions tie-bread, which this time went our way.
Meanwhile our number 2 partnership of Giles Kerr and Stephen O’Brien were battling away having won the first set 7/5 in a tight encounter. Again showing plenty of maturity for the big occasion and undoubted skill they closed off the second set 6/4 to the relief of everyone from Sandycove.
We are now promoted to Class 1 and indeed with the amount of interest and the number of players available at this level we might very well enter two teams next year in Class 1 and 2.
This victory would not have been possible without the strong subs who readily made themselves available throughout the campaign. A big Thank You to Stephen O’Brien, Dermot Finucane, Declan Hynes and particularly to Dermot Deverell who unselfishly made himself available right up to the last minute on finals day should the need have arisen. A fitting end to a great campaign. PG