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I know many of you will be scurrying to your computers first thing tomorrow morning to find out what it was like to play in an Ulster Cup Final. So as not to disappoint you....here goes.
The Ds took on David Lloyd at Kiltonga this evening in the final of the G? section of the Ulster Cup. After month's of facing ringers at number 4, we produced our own ringer, who took to the court first.
Welcome back Ivan Kerr, who approached this match like someone desperate to get back on court....and the Ds were only too happy to welcome (though not necessarily embrace) such enthusiasm. Ivan was changed, warmed up and raring to go before Decker and I had even left Belfast. By the time we got to Ards, he had filled in the team sheet, organised himself to play first and was warming up....once a captain, always a captain. Ivan's opponent was Graham Erskine and, as is often the case with American scoring, the first few points were pretty nip and tuck. However Ivan quickly got into his stride, played good length, covered the court and retrieved well and edged Graham out in 3.
Meanwhile back in the gallery they were playing paper, scissor, stone for who should go on next.
Enter Decker, against Donal. After 5 minutes 40 serves, 40 drop shots and one game a piece, Philip turned to the gallery and promised us a rally in the 3rd game. Who says accountants are economical with the truth? Both lads came on for the third with all guns blazing and entertained the crowds with good court coverage (this is important to a Campbellian, it would appear...or at least Head Campbellian), long rallies (some of the rallies even lasted longer than the first 2 games combined) and good spirited play. At 2 games a piece and 5 all in the 5th, Philip had to retire with an elbow injury.
One match all.
Jay played third against Steve Rogan. He was hoping for an easy match - he had already tried twice to blag his way down the team sheet - and was perhaps led slightly astray by Philip, who could remember Jay beating Steve easily in the first half of the season. After the first rally I reckoned Philip must have been remembering a different contest as nothing about this match was particularly easy....though Jay did make things more difficult by repeatedly hitting the ball back to himself, to give away a stroke, or his opponent, to lose the point. Ivan Kerr, in cahoots with expert analyst, John Dixon, offered their advice between games and in the 5th, after a particularly precise set of instructions from Mr Kerr, Jay upped the pace, did as he was told and took the Ds into a 2-1, 8 games to 5 advantage.
George had the unenviably task of taking on an opponent who had Tennis Coach emblazoned across the back of his track suit. With the pressure of having to get only one game, you really don't want to have to do it against a racquets' specialist. However, Jay commented correctly that George played some "Georgeous" squash, though we all agreed that some serves were a little below par. ("Effing woeful" would appear to be Decker's BT9 vernacular, seconded loudly by Dicko). At 1 game all, victory for Windsor was in the bag and a lesser man than George might have been tempted to throw in the towel. As it was the match went to 5 sets, George just coming out on the wrong side of success, 12-10 down in the 5th. A very good game to watch and played in a spirit that many could learn from. Not one request for a let. Is George the Gary Linecker of Ulster Squash?!
Ulster Squash/Kiltonga Christian Centre had put on a spread the Presbyterian Women's Association would be proud of. The cream scones in particular must have had some sort of restorative properties as Dicko was wolfing them down, I assume to help his gammy knee, while Decker was doing something similar, presumably to help the tennis elbow.
The Ulster Squash Dinner is on Friday 7th May. Get your best bibs and tuckers out and help the Ds celebrate their monumental success! |
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Time for Tennis..@ Windsor
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