ULSTER pair Jonathan Cowan and Andrea Clover successfully defended their singles' titles at the National Table Tennis Championships in Bangor at the weekend.

Clover, who won her first senior title in Galway last year, beat fellow Irish international Brioni Lane in a marathon, three-set final, winning 21-19 in the decider.

Galway's Sean Spelman was a surprise finalist in the men's event, beating former champion and last year's runner-up Andrew Dennison in the semi-finals, but then lost in straight sets to Cowan, giving the Belfast man the fourth national title of his career.

Spelman partnered fellow Galwegian Terry Dolan to victory in the men's doubles final, while Ann Marie Nugent and Geraldine Greene took the women's title. Cowan and Clover collected their second titles of the championships in the mixed doubles event.