DES FLANAGAN INVESTMENT SOLUTIONS ULSTER SERIES 2024/25 – Round 2 Results

Record number attended the second round of the Des Flanagan Investment Solutions Series table tennis tournaments hosted by Ballymena Table Tennis Club in Ballymena Academy on Saturday.

The event started at 10am with the veterans over 40s tournament with 40 players competing on ten tables initially in groups of four with the top two in each group progressing to the main Knock Out stage and those placed third and fourth entering the consolation knock out. After over four hours of excellent table tennis it was Omagh’s Des Flanagan who won the event edging past Ballymena’s top player Rick Espina in 5 sets. To reach the final Des had defeated Ballymena’s Vladimir Brzak, Ards stalwart Billy Mateer and Ormeau’s Jeff Irvine in the groups and then defeated Dungannon’s David Irwin in the last 16, Ormeau’s Allen Robson in the quarter final and Bangor’s Gus Agnew in the semi-final. Rick  had a slightly more problematic route to the final with a loss to Gus Agnew, in the group, but he defeated Craigavon’s Mary Toland and George Hood to finish second. This was followed by wins against Ormeau’s Chris White in the last 16, Letterkenny’s Paul Gallagher  in the quarters and Cookstown’s Mark McAllister in the semi-final. The consolation event was won by Glenburn’s Ken Patterson who defeated James Hutchinson in the final.

The veteran’s over 60s event started at 2pm with 18 players in six groups of three. Top seed Gus Agnew reached the final with wins over Ken Patterson and Ard’s Stephen Fisher in the groups before getting a walkover in the quarters and defeating Lisburn’s Jimmy Robinson in the semi-final. There he met Craigavon’s Fergal O’Hagan who had defeated Jimmy Robinson and Belfast’s Jeff Harrison in the group, Des Flanagan in the L16, Ballynahinch’s Barry Dickson in the quarters, and Keb Patterson in the semi final. In a well contested final it was the top seed Gus Agnew who emerged as winner. The over 60s Consolation was won by Mary Toland who survived a few scares to beat Ard’s star Ossie Patterson.

 

The County Antrim Open started at 2.30pm with 46 competitors and after six hours of play it was top seed and Ulster number one Adam Faulkner from Ballymoney in the final pitted again the rising star of Irish table tennis thirteen year old Peadar Sheridan from Ormeau who also plays in the Swedish table tennis league for Vasters BTK 1.

Adam had topped his group with wins against Craigavon’s Chui Lin Kwok and Ballymena’s Stephen Baillie. In the L16 he defeated James Hutchinson, Allen Robson the quarters and Ormeau’s Anjali Singh in the semi-final. Peadar too topped his group with wins against Civil Service’s William Walker, Dungannon’s David Irwin and clubmate Chris Davenport. Peadar then defeated another clubmate in the last 16, Craigavon’s Emily Flynn in the quarters and Mark McAllister in an enthralling semi-final. The final lived up to expectations as the two players put on a wonderful display of hit and counter hit that had the audience in awe. After five exhausting sets it was the young star Peadar that triumphed to win the coveted County Antrim Cup for the first, though hardly the last time. The Consolation final saw Chris Davenport come from behind to defeat Ballymena stalwart Radislav Jacko in four sets.

 

A big thank you to all the competitors  who entered; to the club members who helped set up the tables, chairs and surrounds; to club Treasurer Stephen Baillie and tournament referee Jimmy Sterling for their work on the top table; to Club Chairman Norman McBride for organizing the event and Ballymena Academy Vice Principal Tom McLeister for facilitating the use of the Halls. Last, but not least and big thank you to Des Flanagan Investment Solutions for sponsoring the veteran events.

 

Mixed Open Des Flanagan Ulster County Antrim Open 2024 Results – 

Winner: Peadar Sheridan 🥇

Runner-up: Adam Faulkner🥈

Semi-finalists: Anjali Singh and Mark McAllister 🥉🥉