England won its fifth successive home-international championship in Gormanstown at the weekend. The Contract Bridge Association of Ireland beat Ireland in the first round but it was their only victory and eventually finished fourth. Ireland was never in contention and only Wales really challenged England and was only two points in arrears starting the last round. However, England then beat Northern Ireland and Ireland produced its best performance to defeat Wales. Full results: 1. England 138.84 points; 2. Wales 120.11; 3. Ireland 102.90; 4. CBAI 94.67; 5. Scotland 84.97; 6. Northern Ireland 58.51.
John and Kelan O’Connor made the journey from Tralee to Malahide congress and registered a notable double. They won the pairs tournament on Saturday when finishing ahead of Valarie Burke-Moran, Ann O’Connell with Wojciech Gorczyca, Marcin Rudzinski third. On Sunday, with Denis Sheehan and Gordon Lessells they finished strongly to pip Billy Ronan, Pat Cassidy, Dave Terry, Tom Gilligan in the team competition. Noreen Pender, Kathleen Vaughan, Aoife MacHale, Antoinette McGee led into the last round but a heavy defeat by Ronan dropped them to third.
The O’Connors and Sheehan had finished second in Tralee’s international congress when Kay Cussen completed the team. David O’Brien, Deirdre O’Halloran, Phyllis O’Regan, Horst Rosler won. Nicky Fitzgibbon, Trish Stack, Joe Higgins Tom McCarthy were third.
Other Malahide results: Area masters: 1. Willie and Róisín O’Gorman; 2. Helena and Paul Redmond; 3. Nora Kelly, Kathy Monks. Intermediate: 1. Sandra Peden, Linda Walsh; 2. Noel Hughes, Anthony McMackin; 3. Evelyn Doyle, Helen Ahern. Intermediate teams: 1. Hughes, McMackin, Catherine Carabine, Deirdre Lonergan; 2. Liz Sherlock, Anna Frances Murphy, Donal O’Keeffe, Aindrias Ó Caoimh. Mixed: 1. Helen and Brendan Sheridan; 2. Mary Kelly-Rogers, Conor O’Hara; 3. Deirdre Tuckey, Séamus Costello. Gala: 1. Brigid Lavery, Bernadette Warnock; 2. Catherine Byrne, Des Mullock; 3. Margaret Cure, Irene Ellis. Intermediate B: (Friday) 1. Nicola O’Dowd, Ena Souhan; 2. Michael and Catherine Cavanagh; 3. Brian McMahon, Jim Caulfield. (Saturday): Rhona Sheil, Stella Carmody; 2. Paddy Moore, John Dunleavey; 3. Ann Dunne, Éamon Kelly. Novice: 1. Sharon Hogan, Lee Kerrigan; 2. Elizabeth Reynolds, Alex Reid; 3. Virginia Pye, Mary Herlihy.
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The intercounty open and intermediate championships (Burke and O’Connor trophies respectively) will take place at the Cavan Crystal hotel next Saturday and Sunday. A beginners and novice pairs competition will be held at Dublin’s Regent bridge club on Friday evening. Entry details on cbai.ie.