September 26, 2016
Nenagh LTC recorded its most significant inter-club result in the club’s long history, (about 110 years), when winning the Munster Senior Tennis Cup for the first time on Sunday last. The Munster Senior Cup (Gr 1) is Munster’s most illustrious inter-club event, dating back to 1907 when Rushbrooke were the first winners.
Nenagh defeated Crosshaven by 3/2 Sunday’s 2016 final, played at Limerick Lawn. The Nenagh team was Frank O’Keeffe (Capt), Robert Carkill, Anne-Marie Darcy and Lena O’Connor. In a close final, the pivotal result was possibly the mixed doubles match involving Frank and Anne-Marie in which the Nenagh pairing recovered from 3/5 and match point against them to eventually win.
Nenagh has been part the Munster tennis scene for a long time, having hosted well regarded open tournaments since the 1930s. While the club competed in inter-club events from the 1960s, the number of such events were low, but since the early 1980s the club has become more involved in an ever expanding Munster inter-club scene, winning its first Winter league title in 1986 and then winning an impressive array of inter-club titles from 1990 to the present day.
That impressive array of titles was further enhanced on Sunday when in addition to the senior cup, the club won two further graded titles. First, Nenagh defeated Bishopstown in the Gr 5 Mixed Team final, a final which saw a dramatic comeback by Nenagh’s Niall Healy and Mick Molloy who were staring defeat at 2/5, but came back to win 7/6 and clinch a vital win. Nenagh’s team was Claire Ley (Capt), Lorraine Talbot, Niall Healy and Mick Molloy.
Then, Eimear Gleeson captained the Gr 6 Ladies Team to an excellent victory over Tralee. Eimear was joined by Lena Grace, Richelle Treacy and Emma Kearns.
Meanwhile, in a further indication of the health of tennis in North Tipperary, Puckane also featured in 2 finals on Sunday. The progressive village club defeated Ennis in the Gr 6 Mixed Team final. The team was Doireann Kennedy (Capt), Geraldine O’Sullivan, Eoin Gleeson and Thomas Mulqueen .
Puckane were out of luck in the Gr 4 Mens Team Final, being edged out by a strong Limerick Lawn team. Puckane had the formidable outfit of James Kennedy, Conor O’Meara, Pat Cleary and Tom Hough in action.
At presentation by Shane Cooke, Pres Munster Tennis, Nenagh’s Frank O’Keeffe complimented Munster Tennis and Limerick Lawn for the well run finals, all the finalists, and in particular the 3 Nenagh and 2 Puckane teams in the finals. Frank also thanked the big local support, including club Nenagh President Margaret Folan and Club Captain David Hackett.
A great day then for Nenagh and our neighbors Puckane, and from this writer’s Nenagh perspective, a joyous one for all associated with the club and it’s appropriate that we remember and salute all those, alive and deceased, whose involvement and promotion of the club since its inception (about 1905/06) have given us the wonderful club of today.
