It was championship time for area masters (players holding fewer than 40 national master points) and novice players in Templeogue, Dublin, at the weekend when Bill O’Hanlon and Tony Ward (Tullamore) with Ian and Niall Kilroy (Ballina) won the Cooper cup with a resounding victory in the restricted team tournament.
The winners asserted their superiority early and went on to win with almost a whole match to spare over Elaine Fitzpatrick, Rosalind O’Brien, Rachel Connellan and Niamh Harty who finished strongly to be second. Liz Hurley, Chantal McCabe, Gerry Ryan and Jimmy Byrne did well to recover from a heavy defeat by the winners in the penultimate round to finish third. Rosemary O’Brien, Paul McDermott, Brendan Rushe and Hilery Murphy were fourth. Best intermediate grade: Liz Sherlock, Mia Delaney, Paul Clinch, Bobby Browne. Session winners: Declan Murray, Brendan Redmond, Catherine Deegan, Fiona Gormley and Mary Greene, Mary Lyons, Geraldine Maher, Geraldine Murphy.
[ Bridge notes: Two Irish teams reach last 16 of GB gold cup tournamentOpens in new window ]
The pairs championship (Lambert cup) went to Mary and Eoin Hodkinson (Dublin) who built up a big lead by half-way and won comfortably from Noel Bradfield and John Lyons with Colette Allen and Frank Kennedy third. Éamon Martin (jnr) and Pam Harrington were fourth. Fifth and best intermediate: Trevor Murphy and Pawel Turczynowicz; Sixth and best second session O’Hanlon and Ward. First session: Josephine Brady, Frances Daly.
Yvonne Corrigan and Mick Stuart from the Wells bridge club, Blackrock, Dublin finished five percentage points ahead of the field to take the novice pairs championship (JJ Murphy cup). Kate O’Donnell and Liz Murphy were second with Niall and Andrew Delaney third. Nora and Gerry Morgan tied for fourth with Michael Cotter and Paddy Moore.
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Teresa O’Reilly from Bailieborough has received the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland’s president’s award which honours people who work for bridge without seeking official status or other recognition. A founder of Bailieborough bridge club more than 40 years ago, Teresa has taught bridge voluntarily throughout Co Cavan. CBAI president Pat O’Mahony from Cork travelled to Cavan recently to present the award.
[ Bridge Notes: Cork duo power from behind to snatch Davidson cup winOpens in new window ]
The all-Ireland open and intermediate cum novice club pairs championships will be decided on the BBO website next Saturday, starting at 11am. The open winners will be invited to take part in the 2024 all-Ireland pairs championship (Moylan cup). The two-session annual open pairs competition for the Muldoon cup will be held on Sunday at Dún Laoghaire Bridge club, starting at 1pm.