The 2014-15 Leinster Grand Prix took place last weekend in DCU, with many of Ireland’s top players in action in the 3rd Butterfly Senior Ranking event of the season.
In the Men’s Singles, initial groups generally went with the seeding, with top seeds Murphy and Agurjanovs looking in good form. One notable exception was in Group C where 3rd seed slipped up against Mark O’Flynn who certainly got his return to competitive action started in fine style – a good win for the former Eastpoint TTC player.
O’Flynn then had an epic 5 setter against Tibor Pofok, eventually emerging into the Quarter Final after a 12-10 win in the final set. Apart from O’Flynn, the QF line-up had a familiar feel to it, with most of the seeds still battling it out for the Leinster title. Top seed Agurjanovs defeated rising star and club-mate Tom Davis 3-1, Ryan Farrell went 5 sets with Leeside’s Alan Walsh before progressing in a very tight encounter, John Murphy defeated Sweden based Ashley Robinson in thrilling 5 setter, while Zak Wilson continued his charge up the rankings and ended O’Flynn’s campaign with a 3-1 victory.
In the semi-final, Farrell had a real chance against Agurjanovs, but the top seed showed significant composure and all of his experience to eventually claim a 3-2 win. In the other half of the draw, youth prevailed, with Wilson claiming a fine win against John Murphy to set up an Agurjanovs v Wilson Final. Wilson took a set from the top seed, but Agurjanovs looked a little too strong on the day to claim his 2nd domestic title of the season.
In the Banded events, Tom Davis claimed the Band 1, Matthew Haynes claimed Band 2, James Joyce had a really good performance for such a young player to claim the Band 3 and Thomas Mueller claimed the Band 4.
In the Women’s Singles, again the country’s top players were in action battling for a title. Newcomer He Yu Ting playing out of Leeside TTC caused an upset in the group stages, with a straight sets win over Marta Zareba of Dundrum TTC. Chloe O’Halloran had a good win in the group stages as well with a 3-2 win over Sarah Timlin to progress. Indeed O’Halloran looked to be in top form with a 3-1 win over Katie McGlone in the Quarter Finals, while Rebecca Finn ended He Yu Ting’s debut Irish event to progress to the last 4. On the other side of the draw, Zareba had recovered from her earlier slip up but could not get past Sarah Timlin who took a fine wine over 5 sets to progress.
O’Halloran continued her good form, this time defeating Finn to progress to the Final where she faced off against Sarah Timlin. Timlin claimed the first set but after that O’Halloran stepped up a gear and was a dominant force claiming all 3 of the next sets to claim her first senior domestic ranking title.
In the Women’s banded events, He Yu Ting announced her presence on the Irish scene with a win in both banded events.
In other events;
Vets: 1. P McCloughan 2. P Shaw
Restricted Singles: 1. J Dennis 2. R Scott
U-21 Mens: R Farrell
U-21 Women C O’Halloran
Please download the Mens Singles results here
Please download the Womens Singles results here
Please download the Mens Singles top half draw here
Please download the Mens Singles bottom half draw here
Please download the Mens Final here
Please download the Mens Band 1 here
Please download the Mens Band 2 here
Please download the Mens Band 3 here
Please download the Mens Band 4 here
Please download the Womens Band 2 here