Six Nations Senior Schools International 2015

Mia travelled over to Perth in Scotland as part of the Irish Senior Schools team for the Six
Nations Senior Schools on Friday 28th June. Her teammate on the U14 girls team was Natasya Barry. 

On the Friday night the girls got off to a great start beating Isle of Man 5-0 and Scotland B 4-1.

Saturday was a busy day starting off with a match against Wales. Mia played Anna Hursey, the Welsh nine year old. Mia was 2 sets to 1 and 7/5 down when coach Gavin Maguire called a time out. This proved decisive and Mia came back to win in 5 sets! 

Mia and Natasya had won the doubles and the final score against Wales was 3-2. Matches against England A and England B were tough and Mia and Natasya went down 4-1 and 5-0 respectively. Mia scored an excellent win against Charlotte Bardsley the English number 1. With a victories against Guernsey 5-0 and 3-2 v Scotland A, Mia and Natasya ended up getting bronze. A great result.

The individual competition took place on Sunday. Mia beat Lauren from Wales and then lost to Charlotte Bardsley 3-1 so Mia came out of her group in 2nd place.

In the last sixteen Mia bt Scotland's Jenny Yang in 5 sets. In the quarter final Mia lost to Gauri (English no. 2) in 5 sets. Gauri ended up getting silver losing to her teammate Charlotte in the final. Mia was happy with her weekend and felt she played at a high and consistent standard.  Well done Mia!

Team Ireland at Senior Schools International 2015 included Mia O'Rahilly Egan

Donie receives Vivienne Barry Fair Play Award

Donie Mullally received the Vivenne Barry Fair Play Award 2015 at the ITTA AGM on June 13th.

Donie with Vivienne Barry Fair Play Award 2015

During this year’s Munster Open, Donie finished third in his U-18 first round group (by the tightest of countbacks).

Due to an oversight, a UCD player was unfortunately overlooked in the Plate draw and the player that he should have played went on to meet Donie in the Plate quarter final (a match which Donie won). Only after this match, was it realised that this UCD player had not had his last 16 match. The player that UCD should have met had left the arena by the time this became apparent, unaware that anything was amiss.

When Donie was approached he agreed immediately to play him even though Donie was already in the Plate semi-final.  He knew that if he lost, he would not even have the consolation of success in the Plate. 

Donie won comfortably, but it displayed his great sportsmanship by agreeing to play, especially when he had already been disappointed not to make the main knockout event.

Congratulations to Donie - the club is proud!

First club night for Griffeen Valley Table Tennis Club

Welcome to all who attended the first club night (7th May) for Griffeen Valley Table Tennis Club! 

There were some new faces on the night and also our regulars who enjoyed the new premises at Griffeen Valley Educate Together National School in Lucan.

Junior Interprovincials 2015, Little Island, Cork - 18th April

A number of our players headed to Cork to represent their province in the last tournament of the table tennis season – the Junior Interprovincials 2015. 

The coveted Victor Barna shield was won by Leinster after going down to the wire against some strong Ulster teams. 

Art and Dillon's U13 boys team took gold along with Mia’s U13 girls team coached by Conor Mullally and Jacqui Mullally respectively. 

At the tournament Mia was presented with a trophy for ending the season as No. 1 in Ireland U13 girls player and Art was awarded U13 player of the tournament. 

Some images from the day:

U13 NPCs - Jacqui Mullally & Conor Mullally

Mia presented with trophy as overall winner U13 for Season 2014-2015

Art won U13 player of the tournament

Primary Schools International, Blackburn, England - 10th-12th April, 2015

Club players Mia O'Rahilly Egan, Art McLaughlin and Dillon Byrne were all selected to play for Ireland at an important international tournament in the junior table tennis calendar. The venue was Blackburn, England 10th-12th April where the top four U13 players from Ireland (boys and girls) represented their country against teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey.

Primary Schools boys & girls team included Mia, Dillon & Art

After a tough start on Friday against Scotland the girl’s team managed to emerge victorious with gold medals. Mia O’Rahilly Egan then went on to take bronze in the girls singles event.

The Irish boys team got off to a flying start beating Guernsey and Isle of Man. After beating a tough Scottish team the following morning, they met a solid English team. While most matches were very close, England eventually emerged winners. However, the Irish boys went on to beat all the remaining countries to take 2nd place silver home.

In the singles event Art McLaughlin came back from 2-0 down to knock out the Scottish number 1 and eventually took bronze.

National Junior Championships, 21st-22nd March 2015

Some images from the National Junior Championships:

Mia O'Rahilly Egan came 2nd in the U13 girls

Art McLaughlin took 3rd in the U13 boys

Some of our younger players also took part in the Hopes U11 series

Girls U11 Hopes

Luke in action

Mia

Donie

Art

Dillon

Sadbh

Munster Open, Neptune Stadium, Cork - January 2015

Club Donic players bring Munster Open trophies back to Leinster

The Munster Open 2015 table tennis tournament took place January 16th-18th. A national event for both senior and junior players it attracted over 200 players to the Neptune Stadium in Cork for an action packed weekend.

The junior events saw some great play from the Club. On Saturday, Mia O’Rahilly Egan took 3rd place in the U15 girls event. Sunday started with the U18 event in which Evin McGovern took fourth place.

It was in the U13 events that the club players excelled. Art stormed through his rounds to win his place in the final after a thrilling 5 setter against the Irish U13 No.1 Thomas Joyce. Dillon Byrne made it an all Leinster final after beating No. 2, David Taylor. Art took the gold after defeating Dillon 3-1 to bring the 1st and 2nd place U13 boys trophies back to Leinster. Mia brought home the gold trophy in the U13 girls category.

In the plate competitions, Donie Mullally took 1st in U18 boys and Sadbh McLaughlin came 2nd in the U11.

Some images from the tournament:

Mia 1st U13 girls

Art 1st U13 boys

Dillon 2nd U13 boys

Sadbh took part in U11 Hopes Series

Joola Cadet Open, Hungary, 2015

Joola Mini Cadet Open Championships, Budapest, Hungary, January 9-11th 2015

Well done to Mia O’Rahilly Egan who was one of a team of four junior players selected to represent Ireland in the Joola Mini Cadet Open.

More information about the event can be found here