U-15s complete double
HAVING SECURED the Leinster Under-17 title the previous weekend, it was the turn of the Wexford Under-15 team to take to the courts in the Leinster inter-county championships which were held in the Baldoyle Badminton Centre.
Team members Karen Butler and Nicholas Murphy were bidding for a second provincial title in seven days, having already achieved success with the victorious Under-17 team.
Wexford got through their opening game without hitting a shuttle due to the late withdrawal of the Kilkenny team. Louth were next up in the qualifying group, but the Wexford side were in superb form and won comfortably 5-0. Kildare were the next victims, with the Lilywhites dispatched 5-0 with the same clinical efficiency.
The afternoon semi-final against Dublin 'B' was a much closer affair. Wexford's top players, Karen Butler and Nicholas Murphy, won both their singles, but Dublin levelled proceedings when they were victorious in both doubles encounters. Wexford progressed to the final, however, when Nicholas Murphy and Michaela Smyth won the deciding mixed doubles game 31-12.
Dublin 'A' awaited the victors and Wexford again got off to the best possible start, with Karen Butler winning an exciting girls' singles 3028, while Nicholas Murphy had a more comfortable 30-12 victory. Dublin hit back to take both doubles and, with the score level at 2-2 once again, Wexford's hopes rested on the mixed doubles pairing of Nicholas Murphy and Michaela Smyth.
This was a tense and exciting game which could have gone either way, but the Wexford duo were 3028 ahead at the end to give the Model county yet another famous victory and a notable double over the home side.
Squad: Karen Butler (Davidstown), Clodagh Dunne (Taghmon), Michaela Smyth (Monaseed), Siobhán Creane (Terrerath), Nicholas Murphy (Taghmon), Ciarán Lancaster (Monaseed), Noel Dunne (Taghmon), Andrew Tighe (Monaseed). Managers: Seamus Creane and Nicholas Murphy Snr.
