Ulster U13, U17 & C Grade Open

The Ulster U13, U17 & C Grade open took place at the National Badminton Centre, Lisburn on 14th-15th September 2019. Matthew Cheung took home all 3 titles at the Ulster U17 Open while Ben Dempster won 2 titles at the C Grade event. Jeffery Rong took 2 titles at the Ulster U13 Open and we had a number of other medallists across all 3 competitions.

Ulster U13

Jeffery Rong won the Boys singles and Doubles titles at the Under U13 event with Donegal’s Amber Buchanan & Kimberley Pearson also taking home a silver in the girls doubles, with Kimberley taking a silver medal in the Mixed Dpoubles with partner Jeffery Rong. Amber Buchanan also won a bronze in the Girls singles and Rhys McAuley & Zac McAuley reached the semi final of the boys doubles to claim a bronze for the Donegal pair.

Seeded 2nd for the Boys singles Jeffery had 3 solid wins to progress to the final to face the Top seed for the event Andrew Hassett. It was the Dubliner top seed who came out strong in the first set taking it 21-14. Jeffery bounced back in the second set to sneak it 21-19 to force a deciding set and it was Jeffery who kept up his good level of play to take it 21-11.

The 2 top seeds of the Boys singles teamed up for the Boys Doubles. Seed 1 for the event Andrew & Jeffery had a tough first round against Dylan Keane & Aaryan Mahesh. The Top seeds took the opening set 21-11 and looked in control of the match but the Dublin pair came back in the second set to take it 21-19. Andrew & Jeffery regained control in the 3rd set to win 21-12 and progress to the semi final. Another tough match awaited in the Semi-final against the Donegal pair of Rhys & Zac MacAuley. It was an excellent first set from both pairs but it was the Top seeds who took a close opening set 23-21. Andrew and Jeffery gained confidence for the opening set and went on to take the 2nd set 21-13.

Amber Buchanan & Kimberley Pearson had a great win in the semi final of the girls doubles beating the Luque Sakka/Mooney pairing who had beaten the 2nd seeds to progress to the Semi final. The Donegal & Alpha BC players had a great first set taking it 21-10 before Luque Sakka/Mooney came out strong in the second but Amber & Kimberley fought back well to take the set 21-18 and secure a place in the final. Unfortunately, the top seeds of the event proved to strong for the girls but a great run to the final to win a silver medal.

Kimberley also reached the final of the mixed doubles event with Ulster partner Jeffery Rong. They had a smooth passage to the Final but came up against a well playing pair in andrew Hassett & Nicole Joy losing out 21-10, 21-17. A great tournament for the pair to reach the final.

Amber Buchanan had a good run in the Girls singles to reach the semi finals after a few good wins in the earlier round however lost out to Zarah Pender 2-11, 21-16.

Well done to all winners, medallists and competitors.

For results click here

For event photo’s click here

Ulster U17 Open

Matthew Cheung continued his dominance from last season in the U17 age group by winning all 3 events. Laura Comer won the girls Doubles title and was a runner up in the Girls singles and mixed Doubles and Stuart McCollum reached 2 semi finals in the Boys doubles & Mixed Doubles. Laura Bell & Lucy Xu also reached the Semi Final of the Girls doubles In which was a successful event for Ulster.

Matthew Cheung showed his dominance in the Boys singles by winning in straight sets to take the title in the event. Fresh from competing in the European U17 championships, He progressed comfortably to the final were he faced Lenister’s Vincent Pontanosa. It proved to be another comfortable match for Matthew winning 21-11, 21-11.

He teamed up with Vincent for the Boys Doubles and with the pair delivering a high level throughout the competition winning the final 21-18, 21-9 against Scott Guildea & Ben Lawlor.

Matthew partnered his fellow European U17 Team member Sophia Noble in the mixed doubles and played a solid to progress to the final. They faced the Leinster/Dublin pairing of Scott Guildea & Laura Comer in the final. It was a close opening set with Scott & Laura really pushing the No.1 seeds, however Matthew & Sophia played the deciding points well to take the set 21-18. Having gain momentum from the first set the Cheung & Noble played to a good level in the second to take the set and title 21-12.

Laura and Sophia partnered up for the girls doubles and were faced with a very tough opening match against the Flynn sisters. The young pair really push Laura and Sophia but the Leinster/Ulster pair came strong in the deciding set to take it 21-8. In the final they faced Kothiyal/Murtagh who had defeated the 2nd seeds en route to the final. Laura and Sophia proved to strong for the pair winning 21-7, 21-8 to take the title.

Laura Comer had a great win in the Semi finals of the Girls singles over the up and coming player Siofra Flynn, taking it 21-17, 21-11. She faced the Top seed and doubles partner, Sophia Noble in the final unfortunately losing out 21-16, 21-10 to a well playing Sophia, fresh off her Quarter final at the European U17 Championships.

Stuart McCollum reached the Semi final of the Boys doubles with partner Dylan Noble losing out to winners Matthew Cheung & Vincent Pontanosa and also reached the Semi final of the mixed doubles with partner losing out 21-18, 21-17.

Laura Bell & Lucy Xu had a good run to the Semi final losing out narrowly 21-18, 21-17 to Kothiyal/Murtagh.

For results click here

For event photo’s click here

Ulster C Grade Open

There were a number of Ulster medal winners in the C grade competition with Emerging Performance Squad player Ben Dempster the pick of the bunch winning the Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles.

A few comfortable wins in the earlier rounds Ben progressed to the final to face fellow Ulster player Jack Armstrong. It proved to be a very exciting matches with Ben edging it 24-22, 23-21.

Jack MacBeth and Matthew Warke  won a 3 set thriller in an all Donegal final against Aaron Knox & Aaron McAuley, 11-21, 21-16, 21-16.

Ben Dempster won his second title of the event in the mixed Doubles partnering Leonie Ward. They faced the Donegal pair of Matthew Warke & Meegan Colhoun In the final. Ben & Leonie took the opening set 21-10 before the Donegal pair bounced back and took a closed 2nd set 25-23. Ben & Leonie regained control in the 3rd set to take it 21-14 and the mixed title!

There were a number of Ulster semi finalist’s with Jack & Ben Armstrong reaching the semi’s in the doubles, as did Nelson McDowell partnering John Noble. Nelson also reached the Semi final in the mixed with Christine Graham, who also reached the semi of the Women’s doubles with Doreen McClements, as did Donegal pair Meegan Colhoun & Shannon Russell. Daniel Armstrong also had a close lose to fellow Ulster player Jack Armstrong in the Men's Singles.

Great to see so many Ulster players competing in the event.

For results click here

For event photo’s click here