RTC

   Last updated 14 August 2008

August 2005-08-08

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Tenth Anniversary Mixed Doubles Championships for the Kevin Tiernan Trophy 2008

The members of Rathangan Tennis Club came out in force for the annual mixed doubles club championship for the Kevin Tiernan Trophy and despite very inclement weather enjoyed the main event in the clubs calendar.  

Twelve mixed pairings competed for the Kevin Tiernan Memorial Trophy, sets of beautiful Galway Crystal glasses presented by Kevin’s daughter, Claire and numerous other prizes.  The fact that it was the tenth anniversary of the competition heightened the spirit of the contest but the unique format of the event ensured the contest went down to the wire once again.

This year it was a combination of experience and youth that held sway with Sean Martin and Gemma Kiernan taking home the spoils. They needed all their skills, speed and endurance, to overcome the very balanced team of Ambrose Dempsey and Claire Breen in a tightly contested final. 

Sean Martin and Gemma Kiernan 2008 Winners of the Kevin Tiernan Trophy

Both partners on the winning team were completing unique doubles.  It was Sean's second time to take the Tiernan Trophy having previously won it with Aine Doyle, while Gemma had combined with new member, Terri O'Donovan to take the Ladies Summer Doubles Competition just the previous night.  

Claire Breen and Ambrose Dempsey 2008 runners up in the Kevin Tiernan Trophy

 

It is even more remarkable that Claire Breen, who played some wonderfully aggressive tennis on the net all day and was the perfect foil for her partner, Ambrose's consistent and athletic long play, should have reached her third successive final.  Claire’s net play, positioning and hard work both on and off the ball was a major factor in her team’s success particularly in their semi final 7-4 defeat of John Goff and Kate Fullam who were themselves very consistent throughout.  

John Goff and Kate Fullam with their 3rd place medals in the Kevin Tiernan Trophy

John and Kate subsequently wrested 3^rd place from Ambrose’s son Ciaran and Jean Rowan by a similar margin.  

 

Pat Gaughan presenting 4th prizes to Ciaran Dempsey and Jean Rowan

Pat Gaughan, club chairman, later marked the success of the RTC Boys team in winning the North Kildare Parks Tennis Shield for the second successive year by presenting Ciaran the junior captain and all his team with trophies and special medals.  The club chairman said he was very proud of the way the juniors were developing under the guidance of Jean and Ambrose and he especially thanked them for their hard work.

The RTC Boys Team who won the Parks Tennis Tornament  

In his presentation speech Pat said that despite the bad weather this year the club was growing and there had been some very good competitions to date and he thanked his competition secretary Ambrose Dempsey.

 

Club Chairman, Pat Gaughan

Indeed the club also had a pretty successful year in local and regional competitions.  Our Laois League Team of John Goff, 

Catherine Hackett, Kate Fullam, Liam Tiernan, Tom Gallagher which was captained by Aine Doyle

Liam (notably absent and much missed),

 took number one spot in the league only to be eventually pipped by Abbeyleix in the final for the overall title.  

In addition the Rathangan pairing of Ronnie Heffernan and John Goff were just knocked out in the semi finals of the Delaney cup and the clubs touring team “The Rats” reached the semi finals of Athy’s Business House league having brought home the clubs first outside prize last year. 

Pat thanked all those who organized the various aspects of the Kevin Tiernan Tournament and The Tiernan family for their continued

The Tiernans

Brid analysing the opposition

 

Claire and her daughters with nephew Jack Kelly

 

Joan in full flight before an unfortunate injury

 

 support of the competition and the club and he particularly noted Claire’s most generous gift of the sets of Galway Crystal glasses for this year’s winners and expressed his delight that both Brid and Claire took part this year; He thanked the tournament director, Padraig Doyle who organised a very sucessfull  in spite of the weather, 

Padraig, doing his best Mosses impression after of the heavy downpours

and all those who arranged the Bar B Que, a most particularly Catherine Hackett who through her supermarket arranged the most generous sponsorship of all the food and drink for the day.  He also thanked Dermot Rowan who had worked tirelessly throughout the day providing hot food which helped the competitors battle the rain which was at times torrential.

Bar B Que Wizard:  Dermot keeps the fires going throughout the storm

The Chairman said he was particularly delighted to see so many families in attendance and hoped everyone enjoyed themselves. 

Players Families and Friends

Walsh Island supporters& Darren Goff

Kate's Crew

 

 He thanked all the players for their perseverance throughout the day and he presented the tournament directors special award to Terri O Donovan whom injury forced to withdraw early in the contest.  

Terri O Donovan recipient of the tournament directors special award

Pat wished everyone well and said he looked forward to meeting them on the court in the seasons remaining contests.

 

A LOT MORE PHOTOS and CAPTIONS

 

Catherine's gets a backhander

Dermot Stands firm

Leonard Gets High

Ronnie Goes for a killer

John goes Light

Maybe a little too Light?

 

Killer Kate, Smashing Kid

Ruarai's on his Toes

Tom gets his Just Desserts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The CORE sponsored

Rathangan Tennis Club Mixed Doubles Championship 2007

Sixteen mixed doubles teams competed for the  Kevin Tiernan Trophy on last Sunday 12th August.  Despite the intermittent rain, which was quite heavy on  a few occasions, the event proved a great success with competitors and their supporters.  The CORE sponsored mixed doubles championships once again delivered highly competitive and enjoyable tennis.  

After seven hours of competition, Andy Shiel and Kate Fullam took the trophy from Liam Tiernan and Claire Breen.  In the final it may have been Andy and Kate's youth and greater reach which gave them the edge.  Andy was an awesome presence at the net playing some athletic brilliant, accurate and decisive driving shots while Kate  played a lovely balanced measured yet forcefully searching long game while at all times maintaining the essential supportive dialogue with her partner.  

In contrast the opposing team swapped roles continuously.  Both Liam and Claire performed with admirable dexterity at the net and on the baseline.  While they dropping shots into space  they always had more area to defend behind.  It was the second year running that Liam and Claire were runners up for the trophy which is in memory of Liam's father, a stalwart founding member of the club.  The couple had earlier beaten the winners 4 games to 3 to take top spot in the league qualifying rounds but unfortunately 44 games later they had to concede overall victory to the younger pair.

Andy's win continued a great family tradition, as both his father and mother, Martin and Francis, have had their names already engraved on the coveted trophy on a number of occasions.   Kate Fullam has definitely put down a marker for  the rest of the Fullams.

 

Andy Shiel and Kate Fullam being presented with the Kevin Tiernan trophy by Liam Tiernan (centre)

The whole tournament was extremely close run event with only one single point deciding between teams qualifying for the knock outs in each section and while the quarter finals were taken decisively both semi finals went to a tie break.  Kenny Roberts and Katherine Hackett eventually yielding to Andy and Kate while Liam and Claire just shaded Noel Hennessey and Jean Rowan.

 

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Martin Shiel Club Chairman presenting the runners up Liam Tiernan and Claire Breen with their prizes

 

During the presentation of the prizes, Martin Shiel, Club Chairman, thanked the Rathangan CORE group for their continued and generous sponsorship of the event.  He also thanked Donal McCrann, solicitors, Bernard Fitzsimmons and Merrimack who sponsored the club earlier this summer.  Later Martin introduced the first two trophies to be won by R.T.C. teams in many years.  While he warmly welcome the win of "The Boomstown Raths"; Padraig and Aine Doyle with John Goff and Jean Rowan, in the C section of the Athy Business house league, he recognised the much bigger opportunity for the win of the Youth section.  The Rathangan Boys team won the Kildare Parks Tennis Trophy and the Rathangan Girls team came a close second.  Captain Owen Donegan introduced his team of Henry Byrne(abs), Darren Goff, David Cross, Ruarai & Liam Gaughan who subbed for Alex Baker,  Stephan Lawlor, Dale Lawlor,  Caolin O'Connell to the Club Treasurer, Kate Fullam who presented them with vouchers in recognition of their achievement.  Martin then presented young Ruarai Gaughan and Gemma Kiernan with two special medals for playing  with great distinction in the Mixed Doubles Championships.  

The whole day had a very festive feel and a real party atmosphere was created by Dermot, Rachel and Claire O'Loughlin who erected a  tented village to house the bar b que.  Sean Martin was very accomplished in his new role of chef keeping the spectators and players fed and watered throughout the day.  The competition was closely followed by a very appreciative audience of all generations and the players played the game in great spirit..

 

Liam serves another cracker in the final as Claire covers the base

 

 

 

 

 

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Last modified: 08/14/08