Buggy beats talented teen
New pretender to throne
GAVIN BUGGY has made the county Senior singles title in 40 x 20 his own in recent years and has seen off a lot of contenders to the throne. NOW he has a new prodigy nipping at his heels and the continuous pressure of Daniel Kavanagh almost ended the reign of the champion during the week. In one of the best finals in recent years and one that was watched by several past champions, both players must be commended on giving their all. BUGGY won a fantastic opening set 21-19 but Kavanagh, who was recently crowned Leinster Intermediate champion at his first attempt, fought back well in the second set and took it 21-18. MORE experience and some keen shot selection by Gavin in the third set was crucial as he finished the job on a 21-14 scoreline to become Wexford Senior champion once again. MICHAEL Busher from Bridgetown had to produce a star show to capture the Junior ‘B’ singles title as he was up against recent winner on the Leinster championship scene, Fergal McWilliams from Horeswood. BUSHER had the aggression when needed and went for the winners en route to a 21-14, 21-14 success. ADAM Walsh has youth on his side and the St. Joseph’s man also has shot selection and a great passion for the game. He needed it all to overcome St. Martin’s man David Stanners in the final of the Junior ‘C’ singles 14-21, 21-17, 21-16. FERGAL McWilliams made up for defeat in the Junior ‘B’ singles final by capturing the Over-35 singles title as he once again got the better of St. Martin’s clubman James Stanners 21-18, 21-15. MICK Carty and Frank Maddock were in very impressive form to capture the Golden Masters ‘A’ doubles title, with Horeswood duo Declan Hart and Garret Somers cast aside 21-8, 21-9.
Eugene English won a three-set final of the Emerald Masters ‘B’ singles as the man from Ballyhogue got the better of Kilmyshall’s Tom Byrne 12-21, 21-9, 21-13.
The Emerald Masters ‘B’ doubles title went to Davidstown as Eamonn Bowe and Tim Harrington were 21-18, 4-21, 21-10 winners over Nicky Casey and Mick Flood from St. Mary’s.
St. Martin’s were crowned champions of the Junior BCD team of four competition by defeating Bridgetown in a fantastic final that went all the way over a three-hour period.
The winners were represented by Seán and James Stanners, Ian and Paddy Curran, while the Bridgetown team included the three Busher brothers, Michael, Brian and Ciarán, along with Robert Byrne.
Malachy Whelan and Noel Holohan secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Leinster Junior doubles with a comfortable opening round win over Laois pairing Andrew Dowling and Peter Whelan on a 21-9, 21-12 scoreline.
The pair, playing together for the first time, will now meet another duo from the midlands county in Páuric Buggy and Tomás Lennon.
Fergal McWilliams’ bid to double up and add the doubles Over35 ‘B’ title to his singles crown captured earlier in the month come a cropper on Saturday as he and David Stanners lost to Kilkenny duo John Morrissey and Noel Doherty 21-14, 10-21, 21-18.
Kilkenny’s Billy Love and Joe Anthony were crowned Diamond Masters ‘B’ doubles champions with a polished 21-4, 21-3 win over Wexford pair Brendan Murphy and Mylie Byrne, while another Kilkenny pair downed the Model county in the Emerald Masters ‘B’ doubles as Pat Funchion and Paddy Fennelly were 21-7, 21-6 winners over Tom Byrne and Nicky Casey.
Phil Coleman and Kevin Doyle had a similar fate in the Golden Masters ‘B’ doubles semi-final as they were beaten by Dublin pair Brian Gardner and Joe Warren 21-7, 21-6.