To select a team for the major home international championship (Camrose Trophy) the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland started with preliminary pairs trials which were held at the Templeogue Centre, Dublin, with 18 partnerships competing.
The key top places were gained by: 1st, P Pigot, M Moran, 303 victory points; 2nd, M and P O Briain, 290; 3rd, E Joyce, J Kenny, 284; 4th, (tie), J Doyle, J Sexton, L and J Phelan, 265 each; 6th, E Cleary, M Finn, 262.
Other leading placings: 7th, T MacCormac, R McMaugh, 261, 8th, BJ O'Brien, T Roche, 259; 9th, PJ Barry, DA Jackson, 258; 10th, (tie), T Rigney, J Kulchycky, P Quinn, M MacDonagh, 254 each. Tournament director: Joe Murray.
The first six pairs have been invited to form three teams, and go forward to the final trials on October 8th-10th. They will be joined by the exempted team, T Hanlon, Dr H McGann, NK FitzGibbon, and A Mesbur.
The team finishing first will play on both Camrose weekends. Each of the pairs from the team finishing second will play on one.
The top placings in the junior Camrose (under 25) trials were: 1st, E Davis, E O Fiachain, 113; 2nd, M Delahunty, O Walsh, 93; 3rd, S Burke, B Ramberg, 83. The winners automatically gained their caps. They will be joined by R McMaugh, who played in the major Camrose, and his partner yet to be selected, and also a third pair not yet chosen.
The team to represent the Republic in the under 20 home international championship (Peggy Bayer Trophy) is: 1st, R Boyd, P Scannell, 144; 2nd, A and B Considine, 135; 3rd, I Haugh, L Rooney, 125. The junior Camrose and the Peggy Bayer events will be held in Wales on January 28th-30th.
The Contract Bridge Association of Ireland's president, Mrs Aileen Timoney's prize, which formerly had been a mixed pairs event, will in future be an open three-session pairs championship for master and intermediate A players.
The tournament will take place in the Cavan Crystal Hotel, Cavan, next Saturday (1.30 p.m.) and Sunday. Separate intermediate B and novice competitions will be run on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Entries: Paul Porteous (01-4929666).
The Drogheda congress, with over €7,000 in prizes, will be held in the Westcourt Hotel from October 1st to 3rd. Brochures: Paddy Bonner (041-9831883).
Bray Swiss teams, at the Regent, Dublin: 1, M McAuliffe, DA Scannell, K de Raeymaker, A Onishuk; 2, T MacCormac, R McMaugh, BJ O'Brien, T Roche; 3, M Finn, T Walsh, Patricia Kelly, B Kemple. Intermediate: Peggy Kelly, D Walsh, T Irving, M Jones. Local: M MacCormac, CA Cummins, J Noonan, A O'Sullivan. 2nd session: R and B O'Farrell, F Daly, C Higgins. Tournament director: John Murray.