Pictures: Eamonn Keogh
A familiar name was the dominant force at the Gleneagle Squash Club monthly competition for February when Mike Howard Jnr – whose father, Michael, is a local squash legend – provided an exhibition to prove he is a chip off the old block.
Mike Jnr himself was the champion squash player in the Gleneagle in the years 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 before moving away from Killarney but he left nobody in any doubt that he is now back playing squash as good as ever.
His opponent on the night was Frank Ryan, son of a stalwart and founder member of the club Mike Ryan.
Frank also was making a welcome return to the club after a sabbatical doing other things but on the night it was Mike’s class and experience that saw him win a thrilling three-set encounter on the tightest of margins 11-10, 11-10 and 11-09.
At the number four match it was Robert O’Sullivan who came out the best in a great five-set game against an unlucky Connie Counihan who played his heart out but only to go down 11-09 in the final set.
At number three was the evergreen Eamonn Bowler playing against a youthful Ryan Kavanagh. Although Ryan was carrying an injury, he tried valiantly but was unable to wear down the vastly experienced Eamonn who was well on top in this match.
To decide the month’s winner it was down to the man from Rotherham, the great Neil Kavanagh, a stalwart of the club for years, against a very exciting and upcoming player Donal O’Sullivan.
This was an absolute cracker with both players giving it everything and after 55
minutes of playing it was down to the fifth set with both players exhausted.
Donal got three lovely nicks in the corner to seal a great win for the Mike Howard team which sealed the club sponsored event.
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