DCU make tennis history
Monday 22 February 2006

Jamie Pilkington (Coach), Carl Williams, Brian McDermot, Timo Barry (Captain), Colm Murphy (Mens Club Captain), David O'Connell and Conor Taylor.

DCU triumphed for the first time in the history of the university by becoming the Intervarsity champions in the 2006 Tennis Intervarsity competition hosted by Trinity College Dublin from the 21st-25th February 2006. Winning the intervarsity was a great achievement, but what was equally as great was the manner in which it was done. The team managed to win the tournament without conceding a single match or even a single set. The journey to victory initially saw DCU triumph over the Trinity 3rds team. In the quarterfinals DCU beat Queens University 5-0, the number 1 seeds of the tournament. The final saw DCU triumph over a strong UCC team on Saturday the 25th February, again without dropping a single set.

DCU have made it to the final once before and were narrowly beaten last year in the semi finals by the eventual winners UCD, but they had yet to win the tournament outright. The trophy has been shared between UCD and Trinity since 1966.

The team was made up of seven determined players, Dave O’ Connell (Davis Cup squad), Timo Barry (top ranked senior, captain), Conor Taylor (top ranked senior), Warren Atkins (Connaught Senior Interpro), Carl Williams (Munster Senior Interpro), Brian Mc Dermott and Colm Murphy and coached by the dedicated National level coach, Jamie Pilkington. Prince Tennis also sponsored the squad. This victory will further drive the already strong vision for the development of tennis in DCU.

A DCU men’s 2nd team and a ladies team also represented DCU at the intervarsity competition. The increase in the number of teams reflects the growth in demand for tennis at DCU. The intervarsity success shows a sign of what’s to come from DCU tennis in future years. As a club with strong talent and potential this astounding victory will be the first of many to come from DCU Tennis Club. DCU have been proactively developing their tennis programme for the last 2 years. Coach Jamie Pilkington says ‘this years squad is one of the strongest teams in Intervarsity history but we’ll have to work hard if we want to do well at the European championships in July’’. The intervarsity victory means the DCU squad have qualified to represent DCU and Ireland in the European University Tennis Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands from the 3rd-8th July 2006.

Semi Final Results DCU beat UCC 5-0
D O’Connell bt M. Dunne 6-2, 6-4, T. Barry (mens captain) bt P. O Shea 7-5, 6-2, C Taylor bt P.Doran 6-1, 6-1, C.Williams bt C. Fearon 7-5, 6-2, B.McDermot bt C. Gibney and C.Murphy(club captain) 4-4 A Claffey.

Final Results DCU beat UCC 5-0
In the final DCU beat UCC 5-0. D O’Connell bt K Reay 6-1, 6-2, T Barry v P.Brickley 6-2, 4-6, 4-1 rtrd, C Taylor bt E Mawe 6-1, 6-4, B. McDermot bt E Morgan 6-4, 6-2 and C. Murphy bt D Laherty 6-1,6-1.