The Munster quartet of Gordon Lessells, John O’Connor, Denis Sheehan and Kay Cussen won the team championship at Clonmel congress on Sunday when, following a contest largely dominated by two teams, they got the better of Derek O’Gorman, BJ O’Brien, Teresa Rigney and LizAnn Doyle in the closing stages.
Lessells led early but when O’Gorman won the head-to-head match before the interval and stretched the lead to seven points with two rounds remaining his side seemed set for victory. However, O’Gorman suffered a second-last round defeat that allowed Lessells to regain the lead. Both teams scored well in the last round to leave the winners almost five points clear. Louise Mitchell, Lucy Phelan, Marian Davenport and Mary Treacy finished strongly, scoring 37 points out of a possible 40 in the last two rounds to be third.
O’Gorman and O’Brien won the pairs tournament on Saturday when finishing three percentage points clear of Maura Byrne, Mary Murray, with Liam Hyde, Jean Kelly third. The intermediate competition was won by Eileen Brennan, Margaret Barron from John and Mary Bourke, with Catherine O’Dowd, Margaret Heney third.
Other results from Clonmel: Gala pairs: 1. Eithne Kelly, Rosaleen Fitzgerald; 2. Tie: Ellen Dowling, Margaret Knowles and Teresa and Owen Ahern. Mixed: 1. Mary Clancy, Ger MacSweeney; 2. Maria Jackman, Liam Power; 3. Róisín and Willie O’Gorman. Novice: 1. John-C Byrne, Mairéad O’Toole; 2. Tony O’Brien, Martin Ward; 3. Nora Fitzgerald, Marlene McEvoy.
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The World Bridge Federation’s women’s spring festival will be held on the Bridge Base Online website from April 10th to April 16th. Seven separate competitions will he held daily. The overall winner will receive free entry to the 2024 World pairs championships.
The Irish Bridge Union’s midweek senior congress will take place at Cavan Crystal hotel from Tuesday, April 18th, to Thursday, April 20th, when all-Ireland senior pairs and team championships will be decided. Competitors must have been born in 1960 or earlier. Entry via cbai.ie. Aileen Timoney 087 2365540 will assist in securing accommodation.
The national open, intermediate A and intermediate B pairs finals, for the Davidson, Laird and Civil Service cups respectively will be contested at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, Co Clare, on Saturday and Sunday. Competitors in these events have qualified through regional championships.
The Northern provincial mixed pairs championship will be played on Saturday at the Killyhevlin hotel, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, starting at 11am. To enter visit nibu.co.uk