Hirst-place! Thomas pips team-mate Reigan to cap Memorial win
THOMAS Hirst of Almondbury Lib beat club-mate Reigan Lunn to claim the Peter Firth Memorial Handicap for the second time at Kirkheaton Con Club.
Eleven juniors entered the 25th anniversary edition of the end-of-season competition, sponsored by Glenis Firth and Keith Manning.
History repeated itself in the quarter-final match between Yorkshire junior county and Almondbury Lib team-mates Hirst and Ethan Hick. Ethan lost out 21-20 in last year’s semi-final and, despite at one point leading 20-16, was pipped by the same scoreline again.
Almondbury Lib made up three of the four semi-finalists, with Reigan Lunn accounting for Marsh Lib’s Stephaine Halmshaw
21-18 in the final four.
In the other semifinal, Hirst saw off another team-mate
Aidan Hick
21-10.
In the final
Hirst’s experience and skill was enough to beat Lunn 21-12.
Junior secretary Geoff Martin thanked Kirkheaton Con for hosting a very good junior competition once again. He also thanked retiring Huddersfield Junior Competition secretary Yeolande Sykes for all her excellent hard work in running our junior competitions.
Mrs Glenis Firth presented
The Peter Firth Cup to Hirst, along with his commemorative trophy, while co-sponsor Keith Manning to give all entrants a commemorative medal to mark the 25th anniversary of the competition.
Results Prelims: Tyler Halmshaw (Marsh Lib) (7) 10 Aidan Hick (Almondbury Lib) (6) 21, Ethan Hick (Almondbury Lib) (scr) 21 Eddie Gilbert (Grange Moor) (1) 11, Tom Hirst (Almondbury Lib) (-3) 21 Tom Gilbert (Grange Moor) (2) 7.
Last 8: Reigan Lunn (Almondbury Lib) (2) 21 April Rushworth-Robinson (Broad Oak) (7) 11, Holly Rushworth-Robinson (Broad Oak) (3) 15 Stephaine Halmshaw (Marsh Lib) (1) 21, Blake Hick (Almondbury Lib) (7) 9 Aidan Hick (Almondbury Lib) (6) 21, Ethan Hick (Almondbury Lib) (scr) 20 Tom Hirst (Almondbury Lib) (-2) 21.
Semi-finals: Reigan Lunn (Almondbury Lib) (2) 21 Stephaine Halmshaw (Marsh Lib) (1) 18, Aidan Hick (Almondbury Lib) (6) 10 Tom Hirst (Almondbury Lib) (-2) 21
Final: