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2011 Munster Open Veterans Clay Court Championships	26/Sep/2011	(No Expiry Date)	County Tipperary Lawn Tennis Club Whoever thought that tennis veterans were just a bunch of 'old fogeys', tapping the ball around a court, had surely never been to the Munster Open Veterans Clay Court Championships at the County! The 2011 Veterans Tournament which was held last weekend, from September 16th to 18th, and sponsored by Cummins + Voortman Ltd, and Dominic and Caitriona Hayes, was a huge success for the County Tipperary Lawn Tennis Club. Instead of sporting their wrinkles, those veterans were sporting the latest fashion in tennis apparel! Far from losing their glasses, they were winning their matches! And why wouldn't they, with the indomitable tournament directors, Jacinta Coman, Marcella Kelly and Sandra Russell to whip them into shape, under the keen eye of Club President Anne Bourke! Indeed the glamorous grans and gorgeous grandads of the veteran's tournament would surely have given the yummy mummies and delectable daddies of the junior tennis circuit a run for their money. Well after all, veteran is only over 35, but with such age combinations as 110, in some cases even 140, it is no wonder that tennis is a sport which is ever growing in popularity for players of every generation. Despite challenging weather conditions there was a very high standard of tennis played during the tournament which featured many of the tennis greats, including James Coman, Paddy Connery, Jill McCormack, Dick McCarthy, William Guiry, Des Dillon, Madeline Kelly, Csilla Varga, and John O' Connor. In addition to their sartorial elegance, and prowess on the tennis courts, those veterans also knew how to enjoy themselves! The usual high standard of county fare was offered throughout the weekend in the elegant surroundings of the Russell Pavillion by the Social Committee which was directed with finesse and flavour by the unsurpassable Breda Kennedy. The highlight of the social calendar was the Vet's Supper on Saturday night. Enjoying the festivities over the weekend were Una and John Heffernan and John's sister, Elizabeth Wright, Nora Mai and Aodh Kennedy and Bridie Hassett, Trudy Kennedy, Maura Kirby and her daughter Emma, John Shannon, Philip and Kathleen Purcell and John Marshall, Helen and Pat O'Dwyer, Carina and Gary Kingston and Pat Kennedy. Thanks to the efforts of the ever witty and inimitable leader of the Bar Committee, the irrepressible Eddie Fitzgerald, and his fervent team, it was no wonder that by the time the Presentation was held on Sunday evening, those Vets had forgotten whether it was to party or play tennis they had come to the County in the first place! In her presentation, President Anne Bourke paid tribute to the Tournament Directors, and thanked all those whose efforts had contributed to making the tournament a wonderful success. She thanked the local tennis clubs for their cooperation in making courts available for the tournament, some at short notice because of horrendous weather conditions on Saturday which rendered the clay courts unplayable for several hours. She also thanked John Heffernan for his tremendous work and coordination with those clubs which included Rosanna, Canon Hayes, Lattin, Kilfeacle, Larkspur, and New Inn. She mentioned especially the wonderful efforts of Kathleen Purcell in procuring the tournament prizes which comprised hampers of local artisan foodstuffs. Robert Cummins, representing sponsors Cummins + Voortman Ltd, Sustainable Architecture & Urban Design, presented the prizes. He acknowledged the huge work which was required to put together such an event as the Veteran's Tournament, much of which, he said, went on behind the scenes. It was one of the tournaments that people most enjoyed, and the County hosted it very well. Tennis, he said, was a big sport in Ireland, and he was delighted to support it. The Winners of the Mixed Doubles events were: Chris Collins and Csilla Varga, Matt Ryan and Siobhan Carew, Paul Flanagan and Joy Cox, Ron O'Mahony and Trudy Kennedy, Bernard Ryan and Michelle O'Meara, Ger Cusack and Jill McCormack, John Heffernan and Madeline Kelly, Sean Looby and Marie Walsh. The Runners up were: Joe Ahern and Patsy Downey, William O'Brien and Mairead Cassidy, John Marshall and Catherine O'Connor, William Hanover and Suzanne Hayes, John Shannon and Joan O'Sullivan, Bernard Ryan and Michelle O'Meara. The Winners of the Ladies Doubles were: Suzanne Hayes and Jill McCormack, Ann Naughton and Un Ryle, Marcella Kelly and Trudy Kennedy, Margo Fogarty and Grainne Ryan, Ann Fitzpatrick and Geraldine Wynn. The Runners up were: Michelle Linnane and Lucy Warner Ryan, Rosaleen Foley and Rose Holohan, Ann Naughton and Un Ryle, Suzanne Hayes and Jill McCormack, Madeline Kelly and Sheila Lonergan. The Winners of the Men's Doubles were: Ger Cusack and Joe Higgins, Brendan Boylan and Martin Leahy, Noel Murphy and Michael Murray, Des Dillon and Tommy Rochford, Dominic Hayes and Jim Kissane. The Runners up were: Hugh Harrington and Lar Thompson, Michael Murray and Larry Power, Dick McCarthy and Mick Prendergast, Noel Fitton and David McCarthy, Brendan Boylan and William Hannover, Robert Cummins and William Guiry, D.J. O'Connell and Adrian O'Neill. The Winners of the Singles events were: Joe Donovan, Regina Carew, Dick McCarthy, Jacinta Coman, Des Dillon, Tommy Rochford. The runners up were: Martin Ormond, Mary Power, John Heffernan, Regina Carew, Joe Donovan, Robert Cummins.	No Image

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