Table Tennis Report by Malcolm Wenn
Ramsey A moved two points closer to current champions Copy Shop A while Travellers and Foxdale are involved in two battles - at the bottom of Division 1 in the race to avoid the automatic relegation spot - and in Division 2 in the contest for the play off place.
The top two teams in Division 3 met this week and Peel C’s 6-4 victory over their B team means that they are now four points ahead of their local rivals.
Division 1
Ramsey A edged closer to Copy Shop A with a 10-0 win over Arbory A which sent the latter into the danger zone. Jason Quirk came closest to stopping the rot but lost out in five to Mason McLarney and then 14/12 in the fifth to Darren Smethurst.
The Island’s junior and senior Top Twelve champion Ronan McDonnell continued his winning ways for Copy Shop A against Foxdale A but was taken to four by Ruth Bailey and had a great game with Will Bayley before winning 12/10 9/11 11/6 14/12. Will and Brian Crellin had a great tussle with Bayley taking the honours 14/12 10/12 11/8 6/11 11/9. In the Ladies singles Jane Coulthurst beat Ruth Bailey but lost to Rebecca Bayley.
The match between Breakaway A and Strathallan proved to be a marathon. Six sets went all the way and even the only 3 straight win was close as Paul Corran beat Haydn McLarney 15/13 11/9 13/11! The doubles went to Strathallan 13/11 in the fifth but Steve O’Hare turned the tables on Julian Briercliffe winning 15/13 in their decider.
The match between Travellers A and Tower A also produced some long matches. Paul Nelson outlasted John Callow 16/14 12/10 6/11 5/11 12/10 and Callow and sub Graham McFarlane both lost in five to Gary Shilling. Nelson and McFarlane also went the distance with the Tower player winning the point for his team. Tim Baker easily overcame Nelson and Shilling but couldn’t stop Malcolm Cummings who produced his best form to win all four including a hard fought doubles.
Division 2
There were three close encounters and one emphatic victory in this division.
Copy Shop B fielded a weakened team against Tower B but still managed to share the points mainly thanks to an in-form unbeaten Danny Hamill. Young Oliver Cain didn’t cause any upsets but will have benefited from the experience.
Tower C and Peel A also drew. Paul Callow achieved a treble while his Dad Dave chipped in with two but both were taken to five games by Maggie Mulhern.
The absence of a third player hampered Salmon River Spinners but Nigel Beattie battled hard to win his three singles against Foxdale B including an 11/7 win in the fifth game against Neil Quane and then 9/11 12/10 11/9 8/11 11/7 over Division 2 champion Mike Bayley. Colin Barron also helped Spinners cause with a good win against Andy McLarney 11/9 10/12 7/11 11/5 12/10.
In the local derby Travellers B inflicted a 9-1 defeat on their C team. Malcolm Wenn took all three opponents to a fifth game but it was Maurice Campbell who prevented the whitewash with a good win over Steve Ellis-Pearson.
Division 3
The eagerly awaited clash between the top two teams lived up to expectations as Peel C just got the better of Peel B. Will Cross did everything he could to win a point for the B team. He lost in five to both Chris Holmes and Ashley Reid and missed out to Sean Cassidy 14/16 4/11 13/15. Matty Evans played well but could not prevent a hat trick by Division 3 champion Holmes.
Marion Forrest and Chas Grills of Ramsey B proved too strong for Peel E who had to settle for three points from walkovers.
The Breakaway B and Fortress result does not tell the true story of an exciting evening of table tennis. No fewer than six matches were decided in the final game and Breakaway won five of them. Sam Callister was unbeaten and Aaron Faragher achieved a good win against Pat Halliwell but she caused a bit of an upset by beating Ben Christian 11/7 11/9 18/16.
Eann Mulhern must like a 13/11 score! He beat Chris Aspden by that score in the fourth game and then repeated that feat twice in a ding-dong battle with Oliver Cain to win 11/13 18/16 13/11 13/11.
Division 1
Arbory A 0 (K. Chan, J. Quirk, M. Tamarov), Ramsey A 10 (M. Johnson 3, M. McLarney 3, D. Smethurst 3, Dbls); Breakaway A 6 (P. Corran 2, C. Kewley 2, S. O’Hare 2), Strathallan 4 (H. McLarney 2, A. Patterson 1, J. Briercliffe, Dbls); Copy Shop A 8 (R. McDonnell 3, J. Coulthurst 2, B. Crellin 2, Dbls), Foxdale A 2 (R. Bayley 1, W. Bayley 1, R. Bailey); Travellers A 7 (M. Cummings 3, G. Shilling 2, P. Nelson 1, Dbls), Tower A 3 (T. Baker 2, G. McFarlane 1, J. Callow).
Division 2
Copy Shop B 5 (D. Hamill 3, S. Drewry 1, O. Cain, Dbls}, Tower B 5 (G. McFarlane 2, D. Stevenson 2, S. Curtis 1); Foxdale B 6 (M. Bayley 1, N. Quane 1, A. McLarney, Dbls, walkovers 3), Salmon River Spinners 4 (N. Beattie 3, C. Barron 1); Tower C 5 (P. Callow 3, D. Callow 2, M. Forsyth), Peel A 5 (L. Wilson 2, M Lewis 1, M Mulhern 1, Dbls); Travellers B 9 (C. Brown 3, S. Mason 3, S. Ellis-Pearson 2, Dbls), Travellers C 1 (M. Campbell 1, A. Harding, M. Wenn).
Division 3
Breakaway B 7 (S. Callister 3, B. Christian 2, A. Faragher 1, Dbls), Fortress 3 (P. Halliwell 1, K. Hassan 1, M. Hassan 1}; Copy Shop C 8 (K. Drewry 3, C. Aspden 2, O. Cain 2, Dbls), Peel D 2 (E. Mulhern 2, G. Melvin, D. Mulhern); Peel B 4 (M. Evans 2, A. Gutzold 1, W. Cross, Dbls), Peel C 6 (C. Holmes 3, A. Reid 2, S. Cassidy 1); Ramsey B 7 (C. Grills 3, M. Forrest 3, Dbls), Peel E 3 (D. Galante, O. Mitchell, V. Patel, walkovers 3).
6 Nations Junior & Cadets Table Tennis International
9th, 10th & 11th March 2012 at the NSC
The Isle of Man will be hosting the above event on the weekend of the 9th – 11thMarch, with teams visiting from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, & Guernsey.
The team event will take place on the Friday evening and all day Saturday, with the individual events on the Sunday.
At this time the committee is seeking volunteer umpires from both our senior & junior ranks. As we will have twelve tables to cover for each session we urgently need everyone’s assistance if we are to make this work.
If you are able to offer your help for this event then kindly let Mike Bayley know as soon as possible. We appreciate that you may not be available for the whole weekend but your support will be much appreciated to ensure the success of this event.
We are looking to offer the umpires complimentary drinks & snacks at the NSC.
Training will be available beforehand if required.
Mike Bayley – Tel: 320143
Email: mikebayley@manx.net
