Dennany denied in tough week for Mayo Pool

Westport’s Ian Dennany came closest to bringing a title back to Mayo in what proved to be a tough week overall for Mayo Pool at the All-Ireland Championships in Killarney.

Ian reached the final of the junior singles after an excellent display throughout the event, winning six matches to make it to the decider before eventually losing to John Lawlor on Sunday evening. He was pushed all the way by Paul Noonan in his opening match, coming through in a final frame decider, before recording several comfortable victories along the way, including a 6-3 win over fellow Mayo player Conall McGrath in the last 32.

Another player to impress over the five days was Erris man Colin Holmes, who reached the quarter-finals of the senior singles event after defeating number one ranked player Robert Brady in the opening round. With over 150 players competing, reaching the last eight was an outstanding achievement. Colin’s run eventually came to an end against Mark Lennon, who went on to reach the final. Swinford’s Sean Conway also enjoyed a strong run, reaching the last 16.

In the intermediate men’s singles, another Erris player, Dermot Barrett, went the furthest for Mayo, reaching the last 32. He was unfortunate not to force a deciding frame in his match against Paddy Flynn, eventually losing 6-4.

In the ladies singles, youngster Mia Barrett continued to show the promise she displayed at the All-Ireland Junior Championship by reaching the last 16, while Rita Walsh also progressed to that stage. Mia should be extremely proud of her performances throughout the week, and the experience gained will stand to her in the future.

Colin Holmes was also Mayo’s best performer in the over-50s event, which attracted over 250 entrants. He reached the last 16 before losing to eventual winner and Ultimate Pool Pro player Dylan Leary.

In the Under-23 singles, Ballina’s Adam Moyles was Mayo’s standout performer, doing remarkably well to reach the last 16 with victories over Adam Kenefick, Gavin Ryder, and Adam McNamara before eventually losing to Ben McMenamin. It was also great to see Achill represented at this level, with Jack Kilbane and Martin Polak making their first appearances at the All-Ireland Championships.

It proved to be a difficult week for the Mayo teams in the team events. Mayo ‘B’ came closest to a title, going unbeaten all the way to the semi-final of the intermediate section before eventually losing out to Tyrone ‘B’ on a 14-10 scoreline on Sunday afternoon.

Mayo ‘A’, competing in the elite senior section, started the week brilliantly, winning their opening five matches before defeats to Tyrone and Armagh left them facing a difficult quarter-final against Meath on Saturday evening. Once again, it was a heartbreaking loss as Mayo exited in a final frame decider against a strong Meath side, who themselves pushed eventual champions Armagh all the way in the semi-final. Colin Holmes was Mayo’s best performer, winning a very impressive 17 from 20 frames.

The intermediate side came through the group stages impressively with five wins from five matches. They followed that with a 14-12 quarter-final victory over Louth, with Michael O’Boyle and Brendan Carroll producing two excellent finishes to secure the win with a frame to spare after a great match, with both teams fighting tooth and nail.

Their run ended in the semi-finals against Tyrone ‘B’, with a difficult spell in the middle of the match ultimately proving costly after a strong start. Ryan Feehan was best performer for the ‘B’ team with 16 wins out of 21 frames with the whole team doing well.

The ladies ‘A’ team qualified for the quarter-finals of the Cup after recording four wins from five matches before losing out to tournament favourites Wicklow.

Both over-50s teams also qualified for the knockout stages after winning two of their three group matches. However, both sides exited at the first knockout hurdle. Mayo ‘A’ lost 8-4 to eventual winners Wicklow, while Mayo ‘B’ suffered the same scoreline defeat to Down.

None of the three Mayo teams progressed to the knockout stages of the Under-23 Cup, although Mayo ‘A’ did reach the semi-finals of the Shield, defeating Mayo ‘B’ along the way.

“We would like to thank all team managers and captains for their hard work throughout the year and in the lead-up to the championships. It is no easy task organising and preparing teams for an event of this scale,” said David McDonnell.

“We would also like to thank all of the players for their commitment and preparation throughout the year, particularly in the weeks leading up to the championships. Taking nearly a full week away from work, family, and other commitments is a huge commitment, and every player represented Mayo with pride.

“Competition for places on every team was extremely strong, and while many players were understandably disappointed not to make teams, that competition helped raise standards across every grade.

“A special thanks also goes to Ger Ryan for his exceptional work once again in streaming key matches throughout the week, as well as to everyone involved in reporting results and updates over the five days. It was truly a team effort.

“Finally, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Irish Pool Association for the colossal effort involved in organising such a fantastic event. They were extremely accommodating and always quick to help whenever needed. The amount of work that went into running the championships was immense and deserves huge credit. It was an absolute pleasure to be part of such a well-run tournament.” said McDonnell.