Badminton Intervarsities 2013
27/03/13
UCC Badminton Cub hosted the Intervarsities in Cork from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th March. A record number of 19 teams took part and it was a real spectacle. The Format was 2 mens and 2 ladies doubles and 4 mixed matches. UCC fielded two teams.
UCC ‘B’ (Fergal Hannon, Allan Tong, Michael Power(co-captain), Mingqian (Gary) Gao , Peter Kinsella, Jerome Antonraj, Una Fitzmaurice, Maeve Twomey (co-captain), Joy Dunne, Sinead Barnett, Clare Warner) were losing quarter-finalists to favourites UCD ‘A’, who were sporting names like Owen Marron and managed to reach the finals despite the retirement of one vital player due to injury during the quarter-finals ladies doubles match.
UCC ‘ A’ (Colm Kelly, Dave Walsh, Kevin Moynihan, Conor Leahy, Robert Pender(co-captain), Dermot Keane, Ciara Pender, Gemma Tobin(co-captain), Ciara O Connor, Laura Butler, Elaine Hudson, Edel Broderick) vs UCD ‘A’ exhibited the most exhilarating games and some tense rivalry. The doubles were an even 2 matches apiece. UCC won both the ladies 1st doubles with Ciara Pender and Gemma Tobin waltzing their way to the win, and Ciara O Connor and Laura Butler breezing through two sets in the 2nd doubles. UCD took both the Mens Doubles and it was clear that the Mixed matches will be extremely close.
When it came to 4th Mixed UCD were up by one match, but UCC had confidence in rising stars Laura Butler and Conor Leahy. After winning the first set 21-14 UCC had to take the second set by the same margin to ensure a win. At 20-11 it looked secure enough but UCD crawled back to 20-14, and in a final riveting and nail-biting point, UCC won 21-14.
There was a dash for the calculators, and Badminton Intervarsities have never seen a closer result. Tallied on points rather than matches or even sets, UCC won by a single ace, UCC 270 / UCD 269. When this was revealed there was uproar. The third Intervarsities for UCC in a row -fantastic weekend, and a fantastic result that was well celebrated!
Congratulations to all the players and to UCC Badminton Club for hosting a most successful tournament (and thanks to Clare and Fergal for the report).