Table Tennis – Ulster Schools’ Team Championships ‘23

Congratulations to Grosvenor’s Under 15 Boys’, Under 19 Boys’ and Under 19 Girls’ Table Tennis teams, each of whom performed superbly to achieve victory at the Ulster Schools’ Team Championships, held at Lisburn Racquets Club on Wednesday 1st February.

In the Under 19 Girls’ category, Grosvenor’s team of Melissa Johnston, Lily Parke, Naomi Humes, Emma Mackey, Amelia Jankowska and Sadhika Maharana performed superbly to qualify for the final with an unbeaten record in the group stages, following victories over Banbridge Academy (5-3), Monaghan Collegiate (5-3) and Royal School Dungannon (5-1). This saw the girls secure qualification to face an unbeaten Bloomfield Collegiate in a repeat of the previous year’s final. Here, with the scores tied at 3-3 following the singles matches, Grosvenor’s doubles pairing proved too strong, helping the team to prevail and, with it, secure the Ulster title.

In the Under 19 Boys’ event, Grosvenor’s team of Ben Watson, Junior Close, Euan Hanna, Reece Towe, Adam Cheung and Stanley Rintoul combined to defeat Banbridge Academy (6-0), Bangor Grammar ‘B’ Team (5-0) and Bangor Grammar ‘A’s (6-2) in the group stage. Following this, the boys then secured a clean sweep in the final, against Monaghan Collegiate, to emulate the outstanding feat of their female teammates.

In the Under 15 Boys’ competition, meanwhile, Thomas Norman, Alfie Stone, Jack Bailie, Daniel Campbell, Josh Corbett and Reuben Hall achieved victory over R.B.A.I. (5-1) and Monaghan Collegiate (6-0) to also secure the title of Under 15 Ulster Champions.

In addition to Grosvenor’s trio of triumphant teams, its Under 13 Boys’ team, of Alfie Kennedy, Scott Reid, Ethan Reid, Finn Stevenson, Dominik Lipowski and Dylan Gouk, competed in its first ever schools competition. The boys unfortunately lost both of their matches, against strong opposition in the form of R.B.A.I. and Banbridge Academy. Despite these defeats, however, the experience was an invaluable one and will stand the boys in good stead for coming years.

Well done to Grosvenor’s Table Tennis Club, which continues to go from strength to strength: for the second consecutive year, the School achieved multiple victories at this year’s Ulster Team Championships. We now wish our Under 19 Girls’ and Boys’, and Under 15 Boys’ teams the best of luck when they head to Dublin, later in the season, to compete in the All-Ireland Secondary Schools’ Team Finals.

Grosvenor’s Ulster Schools’-winning Under 19 Boys’ Table Tennis Team.