Wexford a class apart
Brilliant badminton display earns All-Ireland
THE WEXFORD badminton community had good cause to celebrate on the first weekend in April, 2010, when the county team secured the All-Ireland Class 3 title in Salthill, Co. Galway, for only the fourth time.
They were bridging a six-year gap in the process since the 2004 triumph, with an impressive 7-2 victory over Connacht champions Sligo sealing the deal.
Wexford had qualified for the finals weekend in a tournament held in the University of Limerick in February, and they faced a very tough test in their opening encounter.
Bogey team Cork, the reigning champions, had dented the Slaneysiders’ hopes in three previous meetings, but the outcome of the first two singles matches set the tone for the entire contest.
Aisling Chapman and Alan Mackey filled their colleagues with confidence as a result of two impressive wins, and the team never looked back.
Wexford were almost there when Sandra Dunne and Mairéad McDaid won the opening ladies’ doubles tie 21-19, 21-14, and the Mackey brothers, Alan and Vincent, had similar success in the men’s on a 24-22, 15-21, 21-15 scoreline.
Cork did rally with a ladies’ doubles victory, and they drew to within two points when Clodagh Kent and Frankie Morrissey were unfortunate to lose their mixed doubles match.
However, there was no need to worry, as Wexford eased themselves into the All-Ireland final with victories in the other two mixed doubles meetings.
Vincent Mackey and Brideen Lynch teamed up successfully, while Tomás Power and Tara Kehoe added to the winning margin when seeing off their Cork rivals 21-18, 21-15.
Wexford’s final opponents were Sligo, who had surprised Tipperary on the other side of the draw.
The start was encouraging once again, with Aisling Chapman and Alan Mackey repeating their earlier feat by claiming the points on offer in the opening singles.
The Mackey brothers then lost their doubles match, but a twopoint Wexford advantage was restored when Mairéad McDaid and Sandra Dunne enjoyed a straight sets success.
A defeat for Tomás Power and Jimmy Sinnott left the minimum between the sides, but the Slaneysiders were in brilliant form thereafter as they won four ties on the bounce to claim the All-Ireland crown in style on a 7-2 scoreline.
Aisling Chapman and Clodagh Kent won the second ladies’ doubles in straight sets, and Wexford were impressive winners of all three mixed doubles contests.
Vincent Mackey and Brideen Lynch got the verdict 21-10, 17-21, 21-17, while Tomás Power and Tara Kehoe emerged victorious 21-18, 21-16. The 14-21, 21-9, 21-7 success for Mairéad McDaid and Jimmy Sinnott put the icing on the cake.
The Wexford management team of Olive Waters, Pat Redican, Frankie Morrissey and coach Edward Cousins were over the moon with the victory, with Brideen Lynch captaining their well-marshalled charges to glory.
The Class 2 squad made a valiant effort to match their achievement, but they were understrength through a combination of injuries and unavailability.
It meant that most of the Class 3 winners had to line out again, supplemented by Colm Byrne and Ross McNiven, and they finished third in the round robin behind champions Cork and runners-up Meath.