Picture above: Paul Givan (Minister for Communities) meets up with twin Ulster players, Zak and Thomas Earley (Ormeau TT Club)
Rebecca Finn (Ulster) and Gavin Rumgay (Scotland) took the big prizes at the Douglas Huston Ulster Open Table Tennis championships in Lisburn Rackets Club, supported by the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.
Extrovert Rumgay survived a match point to ovetake the local favourite Ashley Robinson (Clogher), home from his professional base in Sweden, in the Men’s Final.
Gavin had taken out Irish champ, Gavin Maguire in the semis, while Ashley had survived a long battle with Peter Graham (Glenburn) in the quarters beforw defeating the long-term Ulster & Irish team leader Paul McCreery 3-1 in the semis.
Gavin Rumgay receives Ulster Open Men’s Trophy from Councillor Uel Mackin, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, and Chair Development Committee
Rebecca Finn (Glenburn) showed immense maturity in claiming her first Ulster Open Women’s title, with a remarkable Semi-final win over tournament favourite Ashley Givan (QUB), finishing wth a straight sets victory over Claire Heller (Dublin).
Rebecca Finn received Ulster Open Women’s Award from Cathryn Gibson (Douglas Huston)
Robinson had some consolation in taking the Men’s Doubles title with Maguire, who added a further Doubles success in partnering Katie McGlone to the Mixed Doubles title.
Local girl Erin Thompson (Lisburn) teamed up with Dublin and Ireland’s No 1 Katie McGlone to take the Women’s Doubles title beating Devereux and Zareba (Pingzone, Dublin).
Minister for Communities Paul Givan joined the action, tried his hand at table tennis, and was impressed with the diversity of competitors and the high quality of competition. Councillor Uel Mackin helped launch the event on Friday night and spoke at the Presentations on Saturday evening about the unbelievable finals he had witnessed, and thanked everyone who had worked so hard to bring the competition to Lisburn.
Douglas Huston Ulster Open Results:
Men’s Singles; Gavin Rumgay (Sco) beat Ashley Robinson (Ulster) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7,. 6-11, 13-11
Women’s Singles: Rebecca Finn (Glenburn) beat Claire Heller (Celtic TTC Dublin) 12-10, 11-9, 11-8
Masters Mens: Daryl Strong (QUB) bt Pat McCloughan (Banbridge) 3-1
Master Womens: Gillian Richardson bt Jacky Devine (Ormeau) 3-0
Men’s Doubles: G Maguire/A Robinson (Ire) bt P Graham/Z Wison (Glenburn) 3-2
Women’s Doubles: Katie McGlone/Erin Thompson bt Sabina Devereux/Marta Zareba 3-1
Mixed Doubles: G Maguire/K McGlone bt Alan Walsh/Erin Thompson 3-0
Under 21 Mens: Zak Wilson (Glenburn) bt Ryan Farrell (Howth) 3-1
Under 21 Womens: Katie McGlone (Dublin) bt Erin Thompson (Glenburn) 3-0
Under 18 Girls: Katie McGlone (Dublin) bt Rebecca Finn (Glenburn) 3-2
Under 18 Boys: Charlie Fitzgerald (Dublin) bt Thomas Earley (Ormeau)
Under 15 Boys: Art McLaughlin (Dublin) bt Thomas Joyce (Mayo) 3-0
Under 15 Girls: Lucy Craig (Glenburn) bt Pravesha Ragi (Pingzone) 3-0
Under 13 Girls: Pravesha Ragi (Pingzone) bt Silke Heinen (Leeside, Cork) 3-2
Under 13 Boys: James Skelton (Ormeau) bt Jonathan Mooney (Ormeau) 3-1
Disability Event: Winner Paddy Vaughan (Ballincollig, Cork)