Ireland, represented by John Carroll, Tommy Garvey, Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, Nick FitzGibbon and Adam Mesbur, were beaten in the quarter-final of the open teams event at the European Bridge Championships in Tenerife yesterday by a single point.
FitzGibbon, Mesbur, Hanlon and McGann took on the responsibility of playing throughout in a match that saw victory snatched from the Irish on the last of the 28 boards played.
Ironically, it was the same Miroglio team, comprised mainly of Polish players, which beat the same Irish players at the same stage in Menton two years ago.
Ireland, four points down at half-way, proceeded to overhaul their opponents in the second half to go 17 points in front with two boards to play. Board 27 was a marginal slam bid by the Poles but not by the Irish. Still the gap was comfortable.
However on the last board, Hanlon had an uncharacteristic lapse and went two down in a spade game. One down and Ireland would have advanced to the semi-final. It was as close as that, Ireland losing 77-78.
The Irish score was the second highest of the eight teams in the quarter-finals. The 77 points would have won any of the other three matches.
Earlier in the round of 16, the Irish had overcome the combined Russian/Polish Sazonov team winning 73-60 in a match during which they were always in front.
The open, women's and seniors pairs got under way yesterday, with David Jackson and Greer McKenzie the best of the Irish in seventh place in the seniors' competition after the first session. Michael MacDonagh, Mullingar, and Seán Ó Lubaigh, Dublin, are also taking part. Hirst and Hassett of England lead.
In the women's pairs, the Gilda and Noreen Pender, are best of the Irish in 30th place. Patsy Meehan and Rose O'Farrell, Emer Joyce and Joan Kenny, Ann Fitzgerald and Lucy Phelan are further down the field. Italians Arrigoni and Oliviera are in front.
In the open pairs championship, Jim Sexton,Wexford, with Terry Walsh, Dublin, are 40th of the 181 competing pairs.
Cian Holland, Cork, and Gay Keaveney, Galway, had a poor under-average session. Brainin and Wernle of Austria lead.
Tom Hanlon and Hugh McGann, John Carroll and Tommy Garvey, as losing teams quarter-finalists, will enter the pairs event at the next stage.
There was a sensational announcement yesterday when Burrati and Lanzarotti, members of the Lavazza Italian team, were disqualified following a serious breach of the laws during the Swiss rounds on Sunday.
The appeals committee found that Lanzarotti, while dummy, had looked at his opponent's hand and had given his partner an indication as to how to play a hand. The result of the match, which the Italians won 25-2, was scrapped and their opponents awarded an 18-0 win.
The championships continue until Saturday.