Our fellow Sandycove members
Our friends (and match day foes)
With mixed emotions we address you
As the Champs come to a close.

What a fortnight it’s been?
With some lows among the highs
Warmest congrats to those
Who on Saturday scooped a prize!

As momentum and excitement built
On the balcony and the courts
We were blessed with mostly sun but
Saw weather of all sorts.
A bit of rain on evening one
(Yet we heard blissfully few moans)
Mostly players over-heated
As the sunshine split the stones .

Family is core to all
As long as Sandycove is dated
At times it may well feel
That EVERYONE is related
And the ‘22 Champs Doubles
Was no different without a doubt
If you weren’t related to someone on court
You were the odd one out!
Bennetts, Fitzgeralds, McCanns
Reported on the daily
Families Wardlaw, Prior, Percival
Clans Cronin, Begley, Gill and Bailey

We had sibling combinations
Of every sort seeking wins
Brothers paired with sisters
We even witnessed Twins!
A highlight had to be, our good captain in mixed quarters
Found himself on court with his son
And TWO of his fab daughters

We had Moms, sons, Dads and daughters
Sisters and their brothers
though some familial pairings seemed
More composed than several others!
There were families as teammates
There were families pitched as foes
Trying to keep straight all the kinships
Kept everyone on their toes!

Among the keen competitors
Of dignitaries we had a few
Our fine coaches and our captains,
Presidents old and new

We had newlyweds who to compete
Cut the honeymoon short
Brand new parents had the bassinet
Placed adjacent to the court

In keeping with tradition
Of the Sandycove annual champs
We had youngsters and their parents
We even had some Gramps!
Talent, Age and skills
A good mix always needed;
We had beginners and improvers
And the hallowed that are seeded!

We had those who love a laugh on court
And an extended friendly chat
And others who thrive on competition
And enjoy a lively spat!
We had long 3 setters, tie breaks,
And shorter matches, redder faces;
We had rallies, drop shots, volleys,
We saw our share of aces

The tennis was exceptional
The talent seemed to ooze
The catering also stood out
The nibbles and the booze!
As much fun as on court
Was the balcony each eve
The bar staff worked their hardest
Under the watchful eye of Steve

We had several kind club members
Provide a varied fare
And serve a host of treats
With an unrivaled flair
To all the lovely helpers
We are grateful to so many!
Oisine, Mairead and Catherine
Agnes, Helen, Jenny

Thanks too to Fleur and Aileen
And, as so often is the story,
A very special mention
To the magnificence that is Rory!
Who agreed with grace and humour
And with his cracking crew
Treated us the first Friday
To a fabulous BBQ.

And another Sandycove soldier
Who always gives his all
Our thanks to the great John F
For the Finals night ball
His organizational skills
only second to his good grace
His oratory prowess
And the constant smile on his face

And a very special mention
To our most beloved Mary
To all yet to attempt it – please know
The scheduling is scary!
Attempting to please the masses
Is hard it must be stated;
Especially when everyone
Seems to be related!
Scheduling the matches
Keeping it all on track
A real challenge for the captains
But Marys always got our back.

And while we are at the thanks
A confession must be made
The daily write ups and reports?
We also had some aid!
A few “ghost writers”‘stepped up
And a great job by all was done
Which was appreciated all the more
By the lazy captain in the sun!

Like all good things do
The championship ends . . .
We’d great fun on the courts
And on the balcony with friends
The finals all were stellar
A real tennis bonanza
But to mention all the winners
Would take too many stanzas!

If family is our core
And experience our root
Then I think we all agree
Our future is our youth.
And while many seasoned players
Won prizes and were placed
Our 2 singles club champs
Are extremely fresh faced.
That’s great news for the ‘Cove!
Always up for the fight
With young talent like this in the ranks
Our league future looks bright!

So this the final write up,
A round up of it all
Thanks for the support
Greg, Jenny, Mand and Paul

Pictures of the Championships Final Day and At Home evening provided by Sara Hanley & Joe Cunningham

Senior Championships Finals Day – Photos
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At Home Night Photos

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