A strong winter season of playing tennis was the foundations upon which Enniskillen Lawn Tennis club member built his superb B Singles win at the West of Ulster Championships in Sligo at the weekend.

This was 24-year-old Paul's first win at this level and while a move up to the A section beckons after this fine performance, he hopes to remain in the B ranks to have a tilt at his home championships, the West of Ulster, which commences on Monday at Enniskillen.

All in all, it was a great weekend for Paul, a former talented juvenile who is once again getting competitive following a break from the game.

At the weekend, he was in great form, winning five games to land the title. After a straight sets win the preliminary round, Paul knew he was in form when a 6-0 6-1 win over the number one seed catapulted him into the last eight.

Matters got tougher thereafter and a 6-4 6-4 quarter final win and a 7-5 6-4 semi-final victory sent Paul into the final without dropping a set.

Number two seed Mel Burke from the home club awaited and he promptly won the first set 6-4 to put Paul on the back foot for the first time in the tournament. The Enniskillen man responded superbly though with an all out attack policy paying off as he levelled the match at one set all.

This set up a nervous decider which needed a tie break at 6-6 and it was Paul who held his nerve to take the tie-break 7-2 and land the title.

"It was great to play well and the last time I played in this tournament, I was knocked out in the first round," explained a delighted Paul. "I have been playing over the winter and that has obviously helped. The plan would be to move up but it would be nice to play in the B section next week at Enniskillen in my home tournament but we will see what happens." Elsewhere at the West of Ireland championships Matthew McGann and John Maguire made the Men's A doubles final before losing out and Ollie McShea made the Men's C final but failed in his bid to add to Paul's success.

There was success in the C Mixed doubles for Ollie as he partnered Martina Boyd to the title In the ladies section, Louise McGann and Sonja Hateboer lost out in the final of the A doubles while Lisa Greaves and Martina Boyd were beaten on a tie break in the C ladies' final.