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The Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (CBAI) has released the names of its leading players based on its ranking system.
Twenty-six players, from a membership of about 30,000, hold the rank of grand master having attained 1,000 or more career national master points.
Tom Hanlon heads the list with close to 3,000 points while Gay Keaveney, Hugh McGann, Nick FitzGibbon, and BJ O’Brien all exceed 2,000. Adam Mesbur, John Carroll, brothers Pádraig and Micheál Ó Briain, Terry Walsh, Michael MacDonagh, Enda Glynn, Peter Goodman, father and son Donal and Tommy Garvey, Anna Onishuk, Karel de Raeymaeker, Rory Timlin, Rory Boland, David Jackson, Michael McGloughlin, husband and wife Bob and Maureen Pattinson, Teresa Rigney, Derek O’Gorman and Thomas MacCormac complete the list.
Ranald Milne almost reached the 1,000-point mark before the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted activities. It is expected he will join the elite group soon after normal competition resumes.
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The Northern Ireland Bridge Union’s ranking system differs from the CBAI both in master-point allocation and thresholds and is similar to the rest of the UK where 600 points are the grand-master requirement. Northern grand masters include Rex Anderson, David and Diane Greenwood, Ian Lindsay, Ian Hamilton, Greer and Moyna Mackenzie, Robin Burns, Hastings Campbell, Sam Hall, John Murchan, Brian McDowell, John Ferguson and Paul Tranmer. Anderson, David Greenwood and Lindsay are premier grand masters.
Online results:
Sligo and friends pairs; competition A: 1. Finola Higgins, Tom McIntyre; 2. Eileen O'Connor, Assumpta Kelly; 3. Mary Moriarty, Martin J O'Brien. B: 1. Elizabeth Whelan, Phil Kinsella; 2. Charlie Mullen, Patricia Eames; 3. Stephen and Ann Cairns.
Intermediate A; competition A: 1. Phil Kinsella, Bernie Foley; 2. Anne O'Brien, Elizabeth Hall; 3. Deirdre Daly, Dave Doherty. B: Alf Davis, David Sheehan; 2. Declan Harte, Margaret McCarthy; 3. Phyllis Carew, Martina Ward.
Intermediate Swiss teams: 1. Una Cunningham, Kate Hogan, Margaret Kenneally, Joan Collins; 2. John Moyles, Trevor Murphy, Seán Maguire, Maeve Delaney; 3. Melanie Hill, Pat Dempsey, Bríd Whelan, Gerry Byrne.
Limerick, Waterford, Wexford and friends: 1. Guy Gill, Neil Breheny; 2. Mary P Treacy, Trevor Phelan; 3. Anna Glavin, Paschal Browne.
Master Swiss teams: 1. Helen and Brendan Sheridan, Maura Hand, Patsy Gibney; 2. Adrian Thomas, Jim Luck, Rhona Goldenfield, Ted Reveley; 3. Tom McCarthy, Angus Simpson, Peter Hodgson, Ileen Macgregor.
Intermediate B and novice: 1. Betty Fox, Margaret Duffy; 2. Pat O'Sullivan, Kathleen Foley; 3. Helen Donoghue, Lucia Farrell.