Celts do battle in Ballymena

The Irish badminton team takes on Scotland and Wales today at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena in a tournament that…

The Irish badminton team takes on Scotland and Wales today at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena in a tournament that acts as both a warm-up to this week's Irish International Championships in Dublin (tomorrow to Sunday) and an early opportunity for the players to impress the selectors ahead of February's Thomas and Uber Cups in Norway.

Leinster's Sonya McGinn, Elaine Kiely, Donie O'Halloran and Michael O'Meara have been named in the squad alongside the Ulster quartet of Claire Henderson, Jayne Plunkett, Bruce Topping and Graham Henderson - Michael Watt, the national singles champion, who will not be available for the Thomas Cup, has been omitted from the team.

International Triangular Tournament (at Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena): Ireland v Wales, 9.30; Wales v Scotland, 2.0; Ireland v Scotland, 7.0.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times