Home players dominated the podium at last weekend’s Irish Masters Open at Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin with only Frenchman Mathieu Benoit breaking the mould.
There were a dozen Irish winners across the 13 age categories, with top seeds Michael Conlon and Maureen Duke beginning Sunday’s action with victories.
Conlon, the recent European Masters silver medallist in Wroclaw, recovered from dropping the first game in the men’s 70+ final against 3/4 seed Dominique Dautremont of France before running out a 6-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-2 victor.
England-based Irishwoman Duke, top seed in the women’s 60/65/70+ event, defeated no.2 seed Veronique Leray of France in the final round-robin match to seal the gold medal with an unbeaten record.
Next on Sunday came the men’s 65+ final in which Dave Lalor conquered another Frenchman, top-seeded Alain Gardette, 11-8, 11-3, 12-10.
The women’s 55+ final was an all-Irish affair in which 5/8 seed Sarah Berkeley stunned 3/4 seed Danielle Donohue 13-11, 11-7, 11-4.
The women’s 45/50+ final was another Ireland v France encounter; this time 3/4 seed Aisling McArdle defeating the top seed Maud Bailly 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5.
The ever popular Willie Hosey took the men’s 60+ final against German-based Vincent Bradley 14-12, 11-5, 11-4 while second seed Brian Lalor lifted the men’s 55+ trophy after opponent Tom Crowe withdrew due to injury.
The oldest age category was the men’s 75+ in which 3/4 seed Paddy Butler won gold by winning three out of three in the round-robin format. Seamus Daly was second and England’s Allan Whittow third.
The most competitive final of the day was the only one with no Irish participant. Matthier Benoit, who was so magnificent despite defeat in the men’s 50+ final in Wroclaw against Sweden’s Christian Drakenberg, won 11-3, 8-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-9 against Austria’s Jonathan Gallacher.
Another excellent five-game final followed with top seed Neil Macarron beating Nigel Peyton 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5 in the men’s 40+. Soon after, in the men’s 35+, unseeded Sam Olwill conquered the top seed, David Grabenweger from Austria, in straight games.
That left just two other titles to be decided, the first going to [5/8] Tanya Scullion with a 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 win over top seed Aoileann Ni Chomhrai in the women’s O35/40.
Squash Ireland junior performance coach David Noone then wrapped up the tournament with a thrilling 11-6, 12-14, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4 victory over 3/4 seed Alex Preston of England.
Check all the results from the 2025 Irish Masters Open
