IT was a very busy winter for the Schull Tennis Club with the inauguration of its new Winter Doubles League, which was a tremendous success.
Most of the matches were keenly contested, even when the final scores did not reflect the closeness of the contest. The main thing is that it was very enjoyable and brought a new, slightly more competitive element, to the club’s winter tennis.
When the dust had settled, the pairing of Achim Leibold and Richard Gostyn emerged triumphant, with Rosemary Manning and Paul Ryrie sharing second place alongside Nicky Maynard and Steve Burgoyne.
The winners were presented with their prizes at the club session on Sunday May 4th.
The popularity of tennis in Schull is evidenced by the ever-increasing club membership. The renovation of the second court last year into an excellent sand-based, multi-purpose Astroturf surface by Cork County Council has been a great addition to sports facilities for the local community.
For tennis, a spare net is kept in nearby storage which can be erected fairly quickly during club sessions (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings) to provide a much-needed second court for the increasing numbers of players attending the sessions.
When the Council decided to refurbish the area, they also erected new fencing around both courts, which is not only much more robust than what was there previously, but very smart.
Given the incredible view from the courts across Schull Harbour, there can be few players anywhere lucky enough to enjoy their tennis in such surroundings.
Anyone interested in joining the club is welcome to come along to one of the sessfions, or to contact club chairman Paul Ryrie on 086-2140061 for further details.
