Ireland is well on course to qualify for the world bridge finals in Bermuda next January after another good day at the Generali European championships here yesterday. Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, Niall Toibin and Pat Walshe performed superbly against Denmark to run out easy winners 23-7 against a team that has been to the forefront of European bridge in recent years.
The next match against Cyprus was predictably easy. Gay Keaveney and Rory Timlin joined forces with Hanlon and McGann to demolish the inexperienced Cypriots 25-3. That result put Ireland into sixth place, the highest they had been since the competition began.
In round 22 their run of success was halted when Croatia upset predictions to beat them 25-5. The defeat dropped the Irish only one place to seventh. Added to the scores from the other two matches, Ireland averaged 17.7 for the day. If it is maintained, that could be enough to get to Bermuda.
The Irish look forward to the next series of matches against Estonia, Belgium and Portugal. Portugal and Belgium, occupying 13th and 14th places respectively, will be stern opponents. Estonia has beaten Croatia and drawn with Great Britain, credentials to be treated with respect.
Bulgaria, the surprise of the championship, goes from success to success and is now in second place just one point behind France. Along with Italy and Norway, they seem destined to fight it out for the medals. The Irish team is not giving up, however, and have still to meet those four.
Ireland's senior team led by Paul Hanratty lost to Italy B, then had a good win over Netherlands B. Their chances are receding, however, as France A, France B and Sweden A set the pace at the head of the 29 participating teams.
Generali Open championship leaders after round 22: 1, France 410; 2, Bulgaria 409; 3, Italy 407; 4, Norway 402; 5, Poland 396; 6, Netherlands 390; 7, Ireland 381; Joint 8 and 9, Spain and Sweden 376; 10, Croatia 361. Joint 11 12, and 13, Israel, Greece and Portugal 360.