The Ulster Series had 40 players competing in the Over 40s event with a further 22 players competing in the Over 60s event. Cookstown’s Mark McAllister exceeded expectations by taking the 40s title. McAllister emerged top of a difficult group defeating Belfast’s David Hamilton, Donegal’s Oksana Pavlova and Annahilt stalwart Roy Coard.
In the knockout stage McAllister defeated Ormeau legend Ranjit Singh, Craigavon’s Wai Tat Sum, Dungannon’s David Irwin in the quarter-final and the talented Craigavon star Tomasz Toman in the semi-final. In the final he met Egyptian Abdallai Alhajiei playing presently out of Letterkenny who had defeated the pre-tournament favourite Newry’s Alexsander Bartusik in the quarter finals. Few gave McAllister a chance in the final but his expert tactics and masterly use of his combination bat gave Alhajiei countless difficulties which resulted in a three games to one victory for the Cookstown player.
Des Flanagan congratulates Stephen Gray on his 40s plate victory.
The Ulster Series Over 60s has been dominated over the past few years by Omagh’s Des Flanagan and this year looks like being no different as he topped his group with wins over Louise McCarron from Londonderry and Belfast’s Jeff Irvine , In the knockout stage he defeated Ards’ Billy Mateer in the quarters, Roy Coard in a tight 5 games in the semi-final and Bangor legend Gus Agnew in the final.
Chair of TTI presents Des Flanagan and Gus Agnew with their medals
Dromore man Jimmy Sterling – the king of spin – won the 60s Consolation with a fine five game victory Over Doagh’s William Walker.
Co Antrim League Secretary Stephen Baillie presents Over 60s plate trophies to Jimmy Sterling and William Walker.
County Antrim Open
Thirty six players entered the County Antrim Open, one of the oldest table tennis events in the Irish table tennis calendar.
The question on everybody’s tongue: could anyone beat Craigavon’s top table tennis player Tom Colvin who presently plies his trade in Germany. In the group stage Colvin beat Osmond’s David McCaugheran in straight sets, but did drop a game against Oksana Pavlova, who uses a special anti-loop rubber to confound her opponents, before emerging victorious by three games to one.
Oksana Pavlova in action
In the knockout stage last 16, Colvin beat the exciting Ulster junior Aaditya Singh and then defeated Dungannon hotshot Daniel Irwin in the quarters. Daniel’s younger brother Tom Irwin pushed Colvin hard in the semi-final, losing in three tight games. In the final, Colvin met the number 2 seed Alex Lo who stars for the famous Ormeau club. Lo played well but could not stop the talented Tom Colvin winning his second County Antrim title – having collected the trophy back in 2023.
Craigavon also won the County Antrim Open plate event with the ever-improving Jude Sheldon defeating Glenburn veteran and potential Interpro player, Emily White.
