Division 3: Highfield B 5 – 20 Ennis

Remaining Fixtures – League Table

FULL POINTS IN CORK KEEPS CBS DOUBLE DREAM FIRMLY IN FOCUS

Report compliments of Colm Murphy

Ennis CBS’ Division Three team travelled to Cork to face Highfield ‘B’ in their penultimate fixture in the Munster Squash League last Thursday.

At number five, Martin Daly took on Highfield’s Jim O’Callaghan. The superb skills of O’Callaghan came to the fore early on with tremendous cross-court driving creating a 7-2 lead on Daly, who was making his first appearance on these courts. The Lissycasey man’s excellent power serves into the back nick proved to be a saving grace as he took it 15-13. O’Callaghan’s tactical nous and flawless striking drove him on to a 15-8 win in the second before the players shared two fraught tie-break games to bring it to a deciding fifth game. With the veteran Cork player tiring slightly, Daly maintained his intensity and power to run out a very relieved 3-2 winner.

Oisin Casey was at number four playing the talented tyro Jack Doherty of Highfield. Casey’s tremendous volley-drops from central positions were a feature of this match and he took the first before Doherty’s powerful orthodox driving gave him the second. Casey remained focused and consistent and that little bit extra composure proved to be the difference against a young player of immense promise.

Top seeds Colm Forde & Highfield’s Rob Holland played out a classical ‘war of attrition’ with both content to relentlessly drive to the corners and wait for errors. Forde finished strongly from 9-9 in both the first two games, with some stylish mid-court boasts giving chances to win with volleys to the back wall. Holland’s fantastic back-court boasts did trouble the CBS man but Forde’s calm and patient play was enough for a 3-0 win.

Ennis CBS’ Cathal Lynch took on Bryan Ahearne. Lynch opened up a 12-8 lead but Ahearne hit some incredible winners under pressure to recover to a tiebreak which he won.  The Cork man’s striking was exemplary and he pushed Lynch all the way but the CBS man had the edge in terms of fitness and intensity to take the win.

At number two, David Forde faced Tony Cronelly of Highfield. Forde was out of sorts in the first game against the all-action Cronelly before tightening up his game to level it. From then on, the CBS man’s boast-kills, tight backhand driving down the right and general athleticism were top-drawer and he took a brilliant 3-1 win for maximum points on the night. One match remains, at home to Highfield ‘A’, and Ennis CBS will certainly have their opportunity to close out the Division Three title, if they can win that fixture.