Table Tennis - All-Ireland Secondary Schools’ Team Finals

Congratulations to the School’s Under 19 Boys’ Table Tennis Team, which performed superbly to secure victory at the ‘All-Ireland Secondary Schools’ Team Finals’, held in Dublin on Thursday 1st May.

Following their victory at the Ulster Schools’ Team Championships in February, the team, comprising Euan Hanna, Joseph Rainey, Stanley Rintoul, Jack Bailie, Matthew Bailie and Karsten Close, performed superbly to prevail despite the elite nature of the competition on the day.  

By defeating ‘Colaiste Spioraid Naomh’, from Munster, in their opening match, the team proceeded to a repeat of the previous year’s final, against Leinster champions ‘Blackrock College’, from Dublin. Given both schools’ impressive pedigree, the fixture was always likely to be a closely-contested encounter, and so it proved.  After the singles encounters ended all square at 3-3, the stage was set for a nail-biting finish in the doubles. Here, Karsten and Jack played together at one table while Matthew and Euan took to the other table, both matches playing simultaneously. Despite the immense pressure of the event, Matthew and Euan delivered a composed and clinical performance to secure a crucial win, putting Grosvenor ahead by 4 points to 3. Meanwhile, Karsten and Jack faced Blackrock’s top-seeded pair in a match that swung back and forth. In the deciding set, however, the Grosvenor boys held their nerve to seal a decisive win, cementing the overall title with a well-deserved 5-3 overall scoreline in their favour.

The team’s outstanding victory was not only a fantastic achievement in its own right, but also represented the fourth consecutive year in which Grosvenor has secured the All-Ireland title at Under 15 and/ or Under 19 level – a truly phenomenal, historic feat.

Very well done to Euan, Stanley, Joseph, Jack, Matthew and Karsten on their superb success.

Left to right: Stanley Rintoul, Jack Bailie, Euan Hanna, Karsten Close, Matthew Bailie and Joseph Rainey, pictured alongside their victorious coach Mrs Peel.