Can KBC’s Grade 3 Mix B do it?
Jen’s team had ended the Grade 3 League and Leinster Champions Baltinglass Badminton Clubs hopes in a tense Quarter Final where it took a sudden death set to decide the outcome with Chelsey Cox and Vincent Coller keeping their cool and taking the set 21-17 from a dejected Baltinglass pair.
It wasn’t going to be an easy Semi Final against a Bough side who wanted to exact revenge for their Grade 4 team, who were dumped out of the Grade 4 Cup by the Kilcullen outfit. This Grade 3 semi final match was played in St Laurence’s Hall as the floor in the complex was being re-done, home advantage taken from ‘The Rags’.
First Ladies started proceedings with Chelsey and Sarah Walshe destroying the Bough Ladies in two sets, 21-7 and 21-10. Barry O’Neill and Enda O’Neill went out as first mens were beaten in two sets. Kathrin Logan and captain Jen played second ladies and were also beaten in two sets. Oisin Egan and Vincent Coller won the second mens in three sets. Going in to the mix games the score was Kilcullen Badminton Club and Bough tied with two games all, but Bough had a set up on the KBC team.
KBC’s first mix, Chelsey and Vincent went out to face the Bough mix 1, our heroes in Baltinglass started strong winning the first set but lost their way in the second and third set loosing the game in three, now Bough were ahead 3-2. Kathrin and Enda went out next in the second mix and needed to win it to put Kilcullen back on track. The KBC pair have had a solid season, only beaten twice in the League and were going to prove hard to overcome. In a tough two sets the KBC duo didn’t disappoint and took their game in two sets 21-18, 21-17 levelling the match 3-3.
Jen and Barry were out next, this pair have also been tough on their opponents and have so far this season and have only been beaten once in the South West League and Cup. The dynamic duo didn’t disappoint and easily broke the Bough pair winning 21-16, 21-13 respectively. Kilcullen were now 4-3 up with one game still left to play, the main thing now was that they had two sets over Bough. Bough would have to win the fourth mix in two sets if they were to have a chance of making the Final.
Kilcullen’s fourth mix were Sarah and Oisin. Kilcullen’s fourth mix have been unstoppable this season so far with a 100 per cent record. It didn’t start well for KBC and Sarah and Oisin were beaten in the first set 21-15, the next set was going to be crucial to the outcome of the match. The question for KBC was, Can we do it? The answer, YES WE CAN! Sarah and Oisin kept their nerve in the second set and showed their class, beating the Bough pair 21-12 in a fine display of badminton. So another Kilcullen team reach the Grade 3 Mix Final.
Tuesday April 25 is D Day for KBC’s Grade 3 A and B mix teams as they will face each other in the Cup Final in Carlow Lawn Tennis Club. Unfortunately one of our excellent teams will lose but on the positive it will be a victory for our successful club. Good luck to both Owen Wallace our mix A captain and Jen Monaghan our mix B captain and their teams in the final. Whatever happens on the night we will all celebrate with a ‘SuperMac’s’ afterwards and sure if anything the craic and friendly(ish) banter will be good!
Finally good luck also to Tara O’Neill, Chelsey Cox, John Mullen and sub Enda O’Neill in their Dublin District League semi final in Whitehall Road on Saturday 23 April. The KBC gang will face ESB in what is sure to be an ‘electric’ semi fina … ”Go on the Rags!”
Don't forget you can check Kilcullen Badminton Club on www.kilcullenbadmintonclub.com or on our Facebook page Kilcullen Badminton Club for all our news and upcoming fixtures.
Pictured are our Grade 3 Mix Finalists.
