Ronan McInerney won the Irish Championship

[<<] [>>] by Ed Cunningham
13th August 2002 (International)

Ronan beat his younger brother Mark in the final 3-0, without dropping a game in his four matches. His play throughout was consistent and business-like, as one expects from him. This is the third time he has won the title ('96, '97 and '02). The final was unusually one-sided considering Mark's ability - the closest he came to taking a game was in the second where he failed to rush the rover peel in front of the hoop - however Ronan required only one chance to go round, as he had been doing all week. This was the first major final between two brothers in modern Irish croquet history, and perhaps hasn't occurred in other countries recently either.

Earlier matches in the week were noticeable for some very close results: Simon Williams beat Andrew Johnston, despite being a game and 24 points down at one stage (Andrew contrived to not peg-out from the standard position after a straight rover peel to win the match with a TP). Leo McBride hit Mark Suter's lift in the third game and completed a nice delayed triple. In one semi, Mark McInerney won the third against Leo +5tp after +26tp wins by each player in the two previous games.

Irish Doubles Champions are Patsy Fitzgerald and Andrew Johnston, not the starting favourites, but they played well and overcome some good opposition to comfortably win the final against Simon Williams and Robert Barklie and get their names on the Anne Healy Trophies for the first time.