The Irish Open Junior Championships proved something of a banana-skid row for the fancied players at Fitzwilliam yesterday. The biggest surprise was the defeat of Mark Finnegan, the number two seed in the senior boys' singles.

Finnegan is one of those players who is far from being in any need of lessons on how to react to a setback. His gracious acceptance of defeat by unseeded Donal Glennon of Clontarf is a virtue that has gone over the heads of many players at this level.

Glennon's improvement was always going to be a problem for Finnegan, who plays out of the Naas club, and the second favourite's worst fears were realised in the first set which Glennon took with ease 6-1.

The second set was far more competitive but Glennon's attacking instincts, well honed forehand and reliable first serves saw him through in the 12th game.

The Clontarf club's dominance continued in the intermediate singles when Robert Foley saw off the challenge of number three seed Colin O'Brien of Malahide. This went to a tie-break second set which Foley pocketed in style for the match 6-3 7-6. Cork's Niall Turner, the number eight seed, looked on track when winning the first set against Shane Travers but his game lost shape and Travers emerged a comfortable winner.

The corresponding girls' singles saw the hopes of Caroline McNulty, seeded three, crushed by Malahide's Kate O'Flynn in straight sets 6-4 64.