This week saw the start of the the 2015 West of Ulster Tennis Championships at the Enniskillen Lawn Tennis Club. For the fourth consecutive year, the event is generously sponsored by Blake’s of the Hollow, Fermanagh’s most famous establishment It fell to local club players, Matt Dillon and Andy Elliott to get the 2015 tournament up and running on Monday, as they renewed their rivalry in the C Men’s singles. On this occasion it was the more consistent tennis of Matt that prevailed as Andy struggled to get his big first serve working. All four opening matches went the way of the local club but it was undoubtedly Irvinestown’s Alan Cadden who drew the shortest straw, losing both his C Men’s Singles against Enniskillen’s Ken Yang and his C Men’s Doubles against Cavan’s Joe Grimes and Matthias Winkler 11-9 in deciding championship tie breaks. Playing with missed partner, Wendy Eaton, Alan did draw some semblance of revenge with victory over Ken Yang and Pauline Lynch in the C Mixed doubles match. Longest match to date saw Butt Hall’s Terry McNulty overcome Enniskillen’s Donal Burns in a marathon two setter, eventually winning out 7-6 6-4 in two hours to make the long drive home to Donegal a little easier. While it is early days yet there have been no giant killers on show as the seeded players ease their way into the tournament. Players to catch the eye were Enniskillen’s Chris Cieplucha, winning both his opening matches in what will be a fiercely fought B Men’s singles and Laura Griffin, opening her bid for the Ladies A title without dropping a game.

Results to date for Fermanagh based players Singles Ladies A : Laura Griffin bt Louise McGann 6/0 6/0 Mens B : Terry McNulty bt Donal Burns 7/6 6/4 Mens B : Robert Thompson (3) bt David Lowe 6/2 6/1 Mens B : Cathal Sheridan bt Dominic Burns 6/4 6/7 10/4 Mens B : Jimmy Renfrew by Ollie McShea 7/6 6/4 Mens B : Chris Cieplucha(2) bt Deane Connaghan 6/1 6/0 Mens B : Chris Cieplucha(2) bt Peter Craig 6/1 6/0 Ladies B: Geraldine Millar bt Liz McGuinness 6/3 2/6 12/10 Ladies B: Vanesa McBrien bt Heather Williams 6/3 6/2 Ladies B: Orla Malone(3) bt Vanessa McBrien 0/6 6/1 10/4 Mens C: Ken Yang bt Alan Cadden 6/0 4/6 11/9 Mens C: Martin Hamblin bt Deane Connaghan 6/4 5/7 10/4 Mens C: Matt Dillon bt Andy Elliott 6/4 6/3 Mens C: Hugh Maguire bt Matthias Winkler 6/2 6/2 Doubles Mens A: Matthew McGann & Ronan McKeever bt Ryan Irvine & Conan Whitley 6/2 6/2 Mens B: Edwin Johnston & Jimmy McCutcheon bt Brendan King & David Lowe 3/6 6/4 10/7 Mens B: Peter Craig & Terry McNulty bt Dominic Burns & Ollie McShea 6/4 6/7 10/8 Ladies B: Mary Cuthbertson & Rachel Logan bt Lisa Greaves & Vanessa McBrien 6/3 6/2 Ladies B: Jennifer Kelly & Leonie Madigan bt Susan Faulkner & Moyah Gallagher 4/6 7/5 10/8 Ladies B Martina Boyd & Brenda Davis Kuntz(2) bt Jenny Humpries & Janet Love 6/4 6/4 Mixed B: Sean Quinn & Vanessa McBrien bt Jimmy McCutcheon & Brenda Davis Kuntz 6/3 6/4 Mixed B: Ollie McShea & Martina Boyd bt Brendan McGuinness & Jennifer Kelly 6/1 6/1 Ladies C: Ruth Elliott & Anne Mooney bt Clare Lynch & Alma McMilan 7/5 6/4 Ladies C: Corrie Cadden & Bernie McGlynn bt Mary Gilgunn & Bernie McManus 6/1 6/7 10/7 Mixed C: Alan Cadden & Wendy Eaton bt Ken Yang & Pauline Lynch 6/4 6/1 Mixed C: Deane Connaghan & Michelle McTeague bt Mark Cousins & Nadine Stewart 6/1 6/2 Mixed C: Matt Dillon & Corrie Cadden bt Paul Carron & Carol McCusker 6/1 6/4