Ennis CBS Squash Club

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Ennis CBS Squash Club Ennis CBS Squash Club is the premier squash club in County Clare and new members are always welcome.

BATTLE ROYALE FOR ‘BONUS’ TERRITORY

After a superb victory away to Sunday’s Well in Cork City, Ennis CBS Squash Club’s Division 3 squad had re-inserted themselves into a tripartite struggle for semi-final berths in the Munster League. Last Wednesday, one of these direct rivals – Limerick Lawn – came to visit in a potentially pivotal fixture with two further nights laying beyond for Ennis CBS.

First on court for the CBS at #4 was Ennis native, Marc O’Donnell facing South African Jakobus Kruger. O’Donnell raced into a substantial early lead with good, powerfully-driven boasts from back-left and excellent backhand volley-kills. The Limerick player then began to attune to the court conditions and some powerful, swerving cross-courts brought him, amazingly, all the way back to 13/13. The CBS man then killed superbly off a high serve to the backhand and went on to win 15/13. O’Donnell continued to play positively with superb soft-drops and his trademark athleticism to stride to a 2/0 lead. However, Kruger continued to battle strongly with tight, straight power and his own good fitness to strike back to 2/1 down in games and then take an unassailable lead in the fourth. In a devastating blow, Marc O’Donnell suffered an injury withdrawal and was forced to concede the fifth game when certainly it would have been a closely-fought struggle to the end.

The captains faced each other at #5 – Ballinderreen’s Tom Costelloe for the CBS and Thomas Fitzgough for Limerick Lawn. Fitzgough gave a superb exhibition of tight driving down the backhand side while Costelloe’s mid-court backhand boasting was invariably, unanswerably an inch above the ‘tin’. The first game went down to the wire with Fitzgough left to rue a crucial reverse-boast into the ‘tin’ from the backhand side at 13/13. The Limerick Lawn man did respond forcefully with a dominant second game win, his excellent probing drives often forcing weak boasts from his opponent. The CBS man kept his composure, his running power coming to the fore with some great wins from lengthy rallies to take a 2/1 lead. Once more, Fitzgough fought back with a clever tactical switch to soft-drops to lead 6/1 in the fourth. With the match in the melting-pot, Costelloe’s boasting just gave him the edge to roar back to a 15/10 win for a 3/1 victory.

At #3, Clarecastle’s Leo Frawley faced Kevin Gaffney. Frawley, renowned for his low-kills from all areas of the court, started brightly to forge a 13/10 lead. However, the Limerick Lawn man (a former top Junior) kept his standard high to bring it back to a tiebreak which he took 17/15. A salient feature of the match were the many dexterous front-court recoveries by both men which were appreciated by the large crowd. Gaffney broke into a 3 point lead in the second game and some excellent soft-lob serving from the forehand side put Frawley under immense pressure to see the Limerick man take a 2/0 lead. The third game was incredibly intense with the players going point-for-point before two exquisite low kills from the Magpie at 13/13 ate into the lead for 2/1 down. With the CBS courts typically operating solidly from 4pm each weekday, the show-courts were reaching a sweltering temperature as 9pm came and went and it took a toll on all players. Sensing fatigue, Gaffney produced a succession of excellent volley-drops to surge into a strong lead and, though Frawley responded with superb touchplay, it wasn’t enough to stave off a 3/1 defeat.

Newmarket’s Declan Devitt was at #2 facing Tomasz Kowalevski. The powerful Pole was full of intensity, while the calm, repeatable technique of Devitt was once more in evidence. Devitt comfortably took the first game, but Kowalevski’s hard, low winners stretched the CBS man in the second to reach parity. The CBS man drew on his decades of competitive experience to sharpen his focus and drive on to a 15/7 third game win. The Limerick player’s determination remained a constant factor in the fourth game, however Devitt’s patient, accurate boasting was enough to find a way to a 3/1 win.

The night was now perfectly poised at two match wins for each side and the all-important bonus points were dowm for decision in the top seed match: Declan Frawley for Ennis CBS versus Daniel O’Regan. The Clarecastle man brought a ferocity to his attacking play in the initial stages, driving on to a 15/11 win. O’Regan then dominated the second game with superb boasts and re-drops at the front wall for a 15/5 win. The match hinged on a wonderfully rollercoaster of a third game – long, intense rallies throughout, leavened with delicate killshots. Frawley found himself 8/12 down but his will-to-win was palpable as he inched back to ‘game-ball’ in a tiebreak. O’Regan stood tall though, and recovered to win 17/15. The Limerick Lawn man had relative youth on his side and, amid the searing conditions, his boasting proved to be a potent weapon for a 15/9 win and overall 3/1 success.

While Ennis CBS will feel disappointed, there is still a clear path to the semifinal if a strong selection can be mustered for the long trek down south to Highfield in a few week’s time.

Ennis CBS Squash Club would like to extend their sympathies to the Walsh Family and friends. Noel was a great squash player and familiar to many on the squash scene. A fierce but fair competitor. A gentleman on and off the court. RIP Noel

CBS' Div3 team face direct rival for semi spot in Ennis tomorrow night. Only 5pts separate 3 teams with 2 rounds left. . .Promises to be a pivotal battle!!

EPIC WEEK FOR CONLON ON TWO FRONTS

As Ennis CBS Squash Club struggle to establish footholds in the Munster Leagues, Mike Conlon showed the pathway to success at the Irish Masters at the Fitzwilliam Club in South Dublin. As the holder of both the Open and Closed National titles, Conlon was seeded at #2 and thus exempt from the preliminary rounds.

The CBS man’s first opposition was regular sparring partner Gerry Delaney. Over numerous encounters, Conlon had held the Indian Sign over Delaney, despite the Dubliner often establishing early dominance. This match followed the template with Delaney’s power game bring an initial 11/6 win. Conlon won the second by the same margin before an attritional third game fell to the Ennis man on a 12/10 tiebreak scoreline. Buoyed by this win Conlon gradually wore Delaney down by constant switching of play to the extremities of the court for a good 3/1 overall win.

Galwegian Pat Hanley had accounted for perennial challenger Peter Stephens in the quarter-final and was therefore a huge threat to Conlon in the semifinal. In the early exchanges, Hanley was ‘reading’ the habitual dropshot game of Conlon and then swooping in to alternately hit powerful winner or soft re-drops. The CBS man found himself 2/0 down and needing three wins in a row to survive the match. Drawing on his huge reservoirs of top-level experience, Conlon dug deep, with good, hard, dying lengths and well-judged lobs replacing his over-used front-court tactics. This proved to be a successful tactic, with Conon edging all the crucial points to bring the match to a fifth set decider. The battle was tight, point-for-point all the way to 8/8 with both men killing superbly. With huge pressure in every rally, Conlon managed to maintain his standard to edge home 11/9 for a thrilling comeback 3/2 victory.

The final saw Mike Conlon reprise his Irish Open semi-final epic with Donal Coughlan. The Corkman had accounted for his southern compatriot Martin McDonnell in the quarterfinal, further emphasising his resurgent form after some injury-hit years. With Conlon initially suffering some after-effects from his energy-sapping semifinal earlier in the day, Coughlan won the first 11/6 with some good court movement to sweep away. As in the semi-final, Conlon’s in-game adjustment was first-rate as he continually concentrated on attritional, tight length to eventually forcing openings for winners. A tight second game win for Conlon was followed by a comprehensive third game win. However, Coughlan was never less than hugely competitive in the fourth game, his fitness and power forcing Conlon onto the defensive in his own right. Nevertheless, the Ennis CBS Squash Club man held on for yet another superb national success on a razor’s edge margin of 11/9.

As well as the national success, Mike Conlon had been drafted into the Ennis CBS Division 3 team for the trip to Kilworth in Co Cork. The Cork club, often twinned with the neighbouring Glenville club in recent years, had the hugely-committed Andrew O’Callaghan as the opposition for Conlon. The initial tempo from the Corkman was ferocious and he won comfortably. However, Conlon recalibrated to win two tiebreaks and then it all tightened into an epic fifth set tiebreak with the Ennis man took 19/17 for a portent of his future success in Dublin.

Marc O’Donnell’s hard-running game gave him a 3/1 success over Sean Keane in the top seed match, while Crusheen’s Hugh O’Donnell was desperately unlucky to lose two tiebreaks against the highly-experienced Conor Cooney. Ballindereen’s Tom Costelloe played a captain’s part at #3 with some terrific retrieval and brought Dwayne Magnier into a decider before succumbing only after a savage battle. Their Division 3 group is on a knife-edge with four teams in realistic contention. Ennis CBS must travel to Highfield and Sunday’s Well, both of Cork City, and this will be the acid test of their semi-final credentials.

Ennis CBS’ Division 5 team had a 17pt haul from their home match with Limerick Lawn before a fateful trip to Nenagh. Miltown’s Niall Quinn had an excellent 3/1 win over John Spillane while Lachezar Kroezhev, Viachaslav Chechun, Peadar McInerney & Cillian Pender all started superbly in their matches. Alas, due to a combination of accumulated injuries and resurgent Nenagh performances, Ennis CBS suffered defeat on the night. At the halfway point in the League, the Division 5 squad face a huge challenge to remain competitive but the blooding of new players has been a great boost to the Club’s future.

Tired of the miserable Irish weather?? Ennis CBS Squash Club offers 3 heated, indoor courts for €75 for 6mths. Contact details on www.enniscbs.com

Ennis CBS defeated in Ballypatrick

The following night, Ennis CBS’ Division 5 team made the long trek to Ballypatrick in South Tipperary. With both teams having suffered substantial reversals to a crack Thurles outfit, this was a pivotal fixture in the race for an eventual runners-up spot – and consequent semifinal place.

First on court was Newmarket’s Peadar McInerney in the number three match v Dean Gates. The CBS man showed great determination and running power but the Ballypatrick man was that bit more consistent and varied and he took the first two games. McInerney redoubled his efforts with great power-drives into the backcorners and good court coverage, however some ‘tins’ crept in and he was edged out by the Tipp man in the end. To come in at a high seeding for your first Munster campaign is very onerous, but McInerney’s performance bodes well for the future.

Another Newmarket man, Cillian Pender, made his maiden appearance for Ennis CBS at number five against Peadar O’Reilly. After a tough station in his opening two games where O’Reilly’s smooth strokes posed innumerable problems, Pender now found his range. Switching to effective lob-serving and good, tight driving, Pender took the third game and raced into a 6/1 lead in the fourth. His Ballypatrick opponent was very consistent with forehand power down the right and he edged back to parity at 10/10. Pender fought hard with terrific retrieval but the greater experience of the Tipp man proved to be enough for a 3/1 win.

Lachezar Kroezhev had an incredibly intense contest with James Commins of the hosts. Commins’ retrieval was of the highest order, while Kroezhev’s low error-count was impressive. The CBS man took the first before his opponent replied with some brilliant turnovers. Into the third, the pace was hectic but Kroezhev kept hitting the backcorners very accurately and he took a 2/1 lead in games. The fourth game was also extremely hard-fought but the Ennis CBS man held on for a thrilling victory.

Viachaslav Chechun was top seed in the absence of Niall Quinn where he faced Aidan Walsh of Ballypatrick. Both men were hard-hitters and technically adept and the games were uniformly close at the death. Chechun’s mid-court boasts were very effective, paired with blistering straight drives and he led 2/1 in games. Walsh’s fitness was strong and he continued to battle into a deciding fifth game. The two men went point-for-point all the way, but the tiny margins fell on the Ballypatrick side and Walsh took a 3/2 win and secured the ‘bonus’ points on the night.

The final match saw Cooraclare’s Colm Murphy face Sean Ryan at number four seed. Murphy started brightly with good serving into the backwall, backed up by tight drops from the ‘T’ to win 15/9 and lead 9/7 in the second game. A couple of volleys from central positions clipped the ‘tin’ which gave Ryan the opening to sweep in and level matters 15/11. With Murphy debilitated by a pre-existing leg injury, the fitness differential became more and more apparent as the third game unfolded. Ryan dominated the ‘T’, with deft volleys and powerful cross-courts that stretched Murphy beyond his limits from 8/7 in the third and then he strode on to a comfortable 3/1 win in the end.

The final tally was Ballypatrick 17 Ennis CBS 7, which means that strong victories are required in all remaining fixtures, bar perhaps the away leg to high-flying Thurles, if relevance is to be maintained in the group, for which the imminent return of top seed Niall Quinn will aid hugely.

Ennis CBS travel to Ballypatrick in Division 5 today. Good luck to Slava, Lacho, Peadar, Colm & Cillian!

ENNIS CBS EDGE TIGHT BATTLE WITH HIGHFIELD IN DIVISION 3

After a comprehensive defeat to Limerick Lawn on the Ennis Road recently, the onus was on Ennis CBS’ Division 3 squad to respond versus Highfield of Cork City in Ennis last week.

First up for the home side was Limerick native, John Cosgrave, up against the power and skill of Highfield’s Anthony Purcell in the #4 seed match. The Corkman began brightly with some tidy kills to race into a 4/0 lead but then Cosgrave got a lot of joy from cross-courts planted deep into the backcorners to win 15/10. Purcell responded in the second game with a lot of ferocious left-handed power on service return into the back-right corner to win many points. However, the CBS man’s terrific variety of touchplay, consistent tight driving and powered-kills off service return gave him a 2/0 lead in games. Purcell, a player of substantial experience and a deft touch, was undaunted and he roared back with some exceptional lob-serving from both boxes to take the third game and lead 11/8 in the fourth. Cosgrave hung there with brilliant tight power down the right to bring it to 13/13 and then eke out a highly-significant 3/1 win on the night.

Ennis man, Marc O’Donnell, had another hard-fought and intense battle – this time against Highfield’s Kelvin Cummins at #3 seed. The opening two games were shared on identical 15/12 scorelines, with lung-bursting rallies as standard. O’Donnell’s pace to the front wall was exceptional but the tall Corkman’s ‘reach’ and consistent driving were good assets also. Into the third game, both men’s commitment was total and Cummins just managed to edge it 15/11. The Corkman then began to get the upper hand with some tight dropping and judicious switching of the play from side to side and he ran out a 3/1 winner with both men exhausted by the effort involved.

Clarecastle’s Leo Frawley came back in to the team at #2 seed, up against Brian O’Callaghan. Frawley’s exceptional touchplay gave him the first game, but O’Callaghan’s running power was already an ominous trait and it played a vital role later on. The second game was extremely hard-fought all the way with O’Callaghan concentrating on hard, low diagonals into the back-left and Frawley responding with boasts. Some backhands into the ‘tin’ cost Frawley and it tightened into a tiebreak which the Corkman won. The pace continued to be frenetic with the Corkman showing great athleticism to stymie the tremendous skillset of the local CBS player. The fourth game was very close but O’Callaghan took it and had the edge in fitness to drive on to a 3/1 success then.

With Highfield having travelled with only four players, the fate of the ‘bonus’ points now rested squarely on the shoulders of Newmarket’s Declan Devitt who faced Moise Morad of the visitors. This was a brilliant contest, as befits the top seeds of both teams, and Devitt’s well-honed consistency was matched by the incredible backhand kills from backwall by Morad. A comfortable early win by Devitt, powered by precise boastkills was then matched by a 15/13 win for the Cork player. The third game went right down to the wire also with superb elongated rallies, replete with power and delicate touches in equal measure. Devitt did take it though and then he finished strong 15/9 for a vital 3/1 win which keeps Ennis CBS fully in the conversation for a knock-out place. Highfield will also be quite content, as they are renowned for their strength at home in Cork and will feel that they can yet qualify too.

Tomorrow evening, Ennis CBS host Highfield in a vital Div3 match....While, on Thursday, our Div5 lads make the long trek to Ballypatrick in South Tipp, hoping to get their campaign onto a better footing!