With only one week now left to play in the Erne Business Equipment Spring Tennis League at Enniskillen, semi final qualification from the Monday night pool looks assured for the Staplers and the Erasers while the Dispensers and the Toners both took huge steps to put themselves in pole position to make it out of the Wednesday night pool.
Monday Night
In what was always likely to be a battle to avoid bottom of the group it was looking good for the Markers as the Punchers were subject to adjusted scoring in all bar 3 matches as they fielded 5 subs. However with the Markers succeeding in recording only one victory, and this a well deserved 10-2 victory for John Reihill and Michelle Kennedy, it was a very disappointed Markers who finished the night Punch drunk and drowning at the bottom of the pool. The Punchers 53-43 victory was nicely rounded off by Heather Guy and Ann Elliott as they combined superbly to deny the in-form Michelle Kennedy and Sonja Hateboer 8-4 in their ladies doubles match.
With outright group leadership an unlikely possibility, given the 13 game gap at the top, the Erasers were nonetheless aware that a victory over opponents the Staplers, in tonight’s second tie, would all but secure the second semi spot and might provide the confidence edge should these teams meet again in the final of the league in three weeks time. The first match saw Donal Burns and Sonja Hateboer take on Dominic Burns and Susannah Hughes Jordan with Donal producing some of his best tennis in years. As both Erasers served up aces and with Donal closing out point after point with stylish forehand and backhand smashes the Erasers were looking untouchable as they cruised into a 6-1 lead. However the Staplers managed to hold it together and claw their way back to tie the match at an amazing 6 games apiece. This set the tone for the entire match and it was only in the final level 3 and 4 doubles matches that the Erasers scraped through by the minimum 2 games with tight 8-4 victories for Stephen Kettyles and Iain Kennedy in the mens and Sandra Parker and Vivienne Kells in the ladies. This left the Staplers tasting defeat for the first time this year in a final score of 49-47, a result which they will want to erase in next weeks final match before the semis. Special mention for Seamus and Sonja who both managed to complete 4 matches on the night with Seamus displaying all his old on-court guile and only finally tasting defeat in the last of his 4 matches.
Wednesday night
As only 16 games separated all 4 teams before tonight’s eight round matches it was crucial for all teams to avoid defeat to keep semi final hopes alive.
Tonight’s opening match had second placed Toners taking on third placed Binders and despite fielding four subs it was the Toners who pencilled their names into the semi final draw with a battling 51- 45 win. With 7 of the 8 matches finishing 7-5 it was the 8-4 contribution from Veronica Bogue and Heather Guy which tipped the scales in favour of the Toners. A final tally of 2 from 3 in his personal mixed doubles battle with Veronica will be scant consolation for Binders captain Sean Bogue who now faces semi finals night ‘home alone’ unless his Binders can collect a massive win in their last group match against the Copiers.
The weeks closing tie had the same Copiers needing a big win over table topping Dispensers to retain realistic qualification hopes but it was Helen Coopers Dispensers who comfortably withstood the challenge to win 59-37 and all but assure their place in the semis. A vital 8-4 opening victory for Jimmy Renfrew and Helen Cooper over Copiers Davy Thompson and Bernie Cornyn set the Dispensers on the right road and once this was followed by a conclusive 11-1 victory for the Dispensers key pairing of Martin Hamblin and Mary Griffin the game was up for the Copiers. Any hopes of a comeback in the doubles were immediately quashed as Jimmy partnered by Hugh Maguire secured an impressive 8-4 victory in the top men’s match with Mary and Roisin O’Connell closing out the tie with an 8-4 win in the last match.
Standings after week eight of nine with the top two to qualify from each group are:
Monday Nights: Staplers 411 games, Erasers 400 , Punchers 368, Markers 357
Wednesday Night: Dispensers 403 games, Toners 390, Binders 378, Copiers 365
