Sandycove Winter League 2018 – Week 5 Results

Winter League 2018 Section matches drew to a close last Sunday and with most teams playing for either promotion or survival the stakes could not have been higher! The standard of tennis throughout each Class has risen noticibly year on year. In the end it was Team 4 who scored most points in their Section, and automatically qualified for the quarter finals as well as securing Winter League Class 4 tennis for the club next year. We hope to see a pennant from the team in the coming weeks to close a great campaign. We were less fortunate with Teams 6 & 7 who both lost out in the narrowest of margins for playoff spots in their sections. A good win for Team 5 ensured the team stayed in Class 5, while Team 3 and Team 2 did enough in the earlier rounds to also avoid relegation.

Unfortunately, despite best edeavours and the closest of margins our Team 1 lost by the narrowest of margins on Sunday and will slug it out in Class 2 Winter League next year. Thanks to all those who captained, subbed and played in Winter League. We had a much longer list of injuries than usual this year which contributed to some of the results..

On to Summer League preparation now! Don’t forget to sign up for Summer League as well as Team tennis in later March and April. Sign up sheets are on the noticeboard in the club.

Yours in tennis!

Liam

Week 5 Match Reports

Team 1 – Home to Greysyones (1-2), Total Points: 2

Sandycove lost their final game of the campaign 2-1 to playoff hopefuls Greystones. It was a very tight affair and the result could have gone either way, but ultimately the loss left us one point short of securing our place in Class 1 for next year.

Rob Neiland and Ronan Sweeney lost a tight game to the Fitzgerald brothers 6/4, 7/5 on court one. Some excellent tennis was on display by both doubles pairings. There was less excellent tennis on Court 2, where Ivan Brady & Stephen Gill lost 6/3 in the 3rd, squandering 6 game points to take a 3-0 lead in the third set! This was to be the one that got away!

On court 3, the impressive pairing of Mark Griffin and Reon Ferreira easily dispatched their opponents and ensured that Sandycove finished the campaign with some pride! A frustrating campaign, however the team will be determined to bounce back next year and re establish their standing as a class 1 unit.

Team 2 – Home to Monkstown (0-3), Total Points:3

Another tough day at the office for the seconds coming up against a very strong Monkstown 1 team with former professional player and also top Irish juniors in opposition. Jocelyn and Paul Ivory lost out in straight sets against their superior opponents at 1st doubles. Luke Hanley and Colin Grant lost at second doubles to another extremely good pair in 2 sets. And finally Paul and Will Fitzgerald lost out at 3rd doubles as well. Special thanks to Paul and Will for subbing at the last minute and playing their second match of the morning. Also thanks to Luke and Paul for subbing once again this week.

Team 3 – Away to Lansdowne (1-2), Total Points: 5

Sandycove Men’s third team travelled to play Lansdowne 2 in the shadow of the adjacent Aviva Stadium, but on this sporting occasion victory proved elusive and we lost 1-2. Paul Kilduff (finally) and Tim Eaton won in 2 close sets, Roy Bailey and Ken Browne lost in 2 close sets, and J P Begley and Keith O’Byrne lost in 2 close sets. The team finished the campaign with 5 points, was placed 26th of 36 teams in Class 3, and lives to fight again next year. Thanks are due to Roy and Ken who won 3 of our 5 hard earned points.

Team 4 – Home to Monkstown (3-0), Total Points: 12

The Fourths took on Monkstown on Sunday morning needing 2 points to top the group. Philip Craig and Mark Cunningham got us on the way with a rapid 6-0, 6-2 win. Will and Paul FitzGerald followed soon after with a closer 6-3, 6-4 win. Top position secured we had time to enjoy hot chocolate croissants provided by Mark (well actually Shelagh!).

Colin Wardlaw and Frank McCooey took a while to warm up and after losing the first set came through 6-1, 6-1 to ensure another 3 pointer. Next match against the might of Glenageary in the playoffs.The top of the section is still very tight with three teams in contention for the playoff spots. Last match is against Monkstown 4 at home this Sunday!.

Team 5 – Away to Mount Pleasant (2-1), Total Points: 6

Big relegation match away from home and the Stands in Mount Pleasant were full! Sandycove needed a minimum 2 points to stay up after a difficult injury ridden campaign. Number one doubles of Chris Daly and JF Burke met a stubborn pairing and put away the first set with ease 6/2. The Sandycove lads then let a 4 to 3 lead slip away in the 2nd set and duly lost this one 4/6. With an immediate break gained in the opening game of the third the lads went onto a 6/2 victory.

At Third doubles Bennett & Gill lost the first set in a tight affair. The stormed to a 5 to 1 lead in set two with great Tennis being played by both the lads. Two set points played and 25 minutes later the lads went down 7 to 5 to lose the match. Dermot was last seen heading for the local hospital to help him get over the loss. In fairness a good campaign for the lads earning valuable points for the team

So down to Warren and Mc Dowell (finally back together after four weeks apart). Lost the first set 6/1 and to be kind looked doomed. They were only warming up! Great controlled tennis in the 2nd set to win it in the tie break. Went 3 to 2 up in the third and broke their opponents after 5 break points in the 6th game. The lads the ran out winners 6/2 to bring home the bacon when it really counted.

Our thanks to those who subbed in during the campaign and good luck to Sandy cove 4 in the playoff’s

Team 6 – Away to Templeogue (1-2), Total Points: 8

With injuries and exotic holidays impacting a full team turn out yet again, the team offered their super sub up Philip Craig to Team 4 while leveraging the might and experience of Denis O’Reilly & Jim Brady as strong cover. Alas, young Brady’s knee locked up in the cold, windy and eye torching sun conditions during their warm up to leave the super fit O’Reilly to do all the tracking. In a match that had its moments …. we lost the 1st match in 2 sets. After 45minute delay due to frosted courts McNichols and Hurley came unstuck against prickly opposition, in what was less than ideal conditions and circumstances to go down in 2 very close sets 6-4, 6-4.

The very talented young guns of Wall & Cronin continued as they normally do with a 3 set win. Alas, it was Templeogue that went through as section runner-up pipping us at the post! Cudda, shouldda been.

Thanks to all our Subs throughout the campaign.

Team 7 – Home to Lansdowne (2-1), Total Points: 11

The sevenths travelled to Mount Pleasant on Sunday needing a 3-0 win to keep them ahead of the chasing pack for the second playoff spot. First off were Pat Leamy and Tony Collison with a fine display, running away with the match 6-4, 6-0. Next were Tom O’Higgins and Philip Bayfield securing another point 6-3, 6-2 against two opponents with unorthodox but effective styles of play. Stephen McGoohan and Declan Keane went to a 3rd set after coming out the wrong side of a tiebreak in the second. Keane produced some tennis in the third set that ‘people would pay to see – according to Keane himself!’ ensuring the last point went to Sandycove. All to play for next week with the team lying second in the group ahead of chasing pack by one point…