Tenniskillen.com

CRYSTALS AND RUBIES TAKE CENTER STAGE

The eagerly anticipated final between Dominick Burns’s Crystals and Maxine Leary’s Rubies turned out to be an absolutely splendid contest, with the Crystal’s just edging out their opponents.

Conor Donaldson and Jenny Humphries got the Rubies off to a great start with a sparkling 7-5 win over Jimmy Renfrew and Bernie Cornyn. Dominick Burns and Ruth Armstrong tied their game with Paul Lendrum and Sonja Hateboer before Martin Sharkey and Sheila Colville got the better of Cormac Jordan and Maxine Leary to leave the match all square. The final game in the mixed saw Stephen Kettyles and Bennie Sheridan dig deep for the Crystals to give them a 7-5 victory over Brian Donaldson and Joanne Knowles to leave the halfway score 25-23 in favour of Dominick’s charges.

It was vital that the Rubie’s pairing of Conor and big Lendy won the first game in the second phase of matches and so it turned out as they ground out a 7-5 victory over the Flying Scotsman and Dom, to once again leave the overall match score level. Bernie and Ruth then had a tremendous win over the fancied pairing of Jenny and Sonja to swing the match decisively towards the Crystals. Sharks and Stephen increased the lead still further with victory over C.J and the Impartial Reporter to leave the Rubies dangling on the edge of the abyss. It was time for a captain’s performance and oh my word how close Max and Joanne came to snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Needing a 9-3 win in the final game to tie the match they just fell agonisingly short thus ensuring victory for the Crystals by the narrow margin of 49-47.

E.L.T.C chairman Conor “B” MacMahon thanked “Center Jewellers” for their generous sponsorship and also Carina Ferguson and Marie Wilson for their support on the night. A special mention again for the galloping gourmet herself Jenny Cruikshank who as usual laid on a splendid supper for all who attended the evening.