Ireland Claim 12 Medals at Home Countries
The first new look Home Countries International was held in Guernsey.
Seven countries took part in six categories: men, ladies, junior boys, junior girls, cadet boys and cadet girls.
It was a historic occasion for Sabine Deveraux winning her first cap along with Nga Nguyen who was also winning her first senior cap .
They did not disappoint as they defeated Scotland’s Gillian Edwards and Alisa Khalid 5/0 to claim the bronze medal.
The young men’s team of Ryan Farrell and Alexander Gillen also claimed bronze, recovering from a narrow ⅔ loss v Scotland to defeat the Welsh team of Callum Evans and Dean
Cundy 4/1
The juniors boys team of Dylan Grace and Joey Nelson claimed Irelands third bronze, defeating Wales 3/2 but narrowly lost to England 2/3, with Dylan snatching two singles victories, and Scotland 1/4.
A fourth bronze was won by the junior girls of Mia O’Rahilly Egan and Thuy Linh Cashman.
They lost to Wales 2/3, lost to England 4/1,with Thuy Linh defeating Anaya Patel but defeated Scotland 5/0.
Our gold medal chances came v England in both cadet categories
An impressive start saw Art McLauglin and Thomas Joyce take a 2/0 lead
Likewise Silke Heinen and Nicole Scott raced into a 2/0 lead.
Two narrow defeats in the doubles swung the momentum England’s way
England levelled both matches when Thomas and Nicole both lost
Art could not get to grips with Louis Price on this occasion while in a cliff-hanger Silke was beaten 10/12 in the fifth set
So 2 silver and four bronze, with every player securing a medal.
In the singles event two players reached finals
Thuy Linh Cashman defeated Scotland’s Isla Scott in the quarter final, beat Wales’s Beth Richards in the semifinal but lost out to the impressive Anna Hursey(Wales) in the final.
Art McLaughlin secured a silver medal also. He defeated Louis Evans 3/1 in the quarter final and Martin Johnson in the semi final
In the final it went all the way to the fifth set but Naphong Boonyaprapa proved victorious for England
Other impressive performers were Nicole Scott who claimed bronze losing to England’s Gemma Kerr and Silke who also lost to England’s Millie Rogove.
Mia ORahily Egan claimed a bronze also losing to Anna Hursey while Dylan Grace won his second bronze losing to eventual winner Dylan Curry(Sco)
A big thanks to coaches Conn Higgins and Sam Logue who were kept on their toes in a very busy schedule