Matthew wins major title

Banbridge Academy pupil Matthew Smyth has just picked up his first major badminton title after being crowned the Ulster Under-15 Boys Doubles Champion last weekend at Lisburn Racquets Club.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Dec 2013, 20:58 BST

The Year 11 pupil from Garvaghy Road near Waringsford has been an active member of the Alpha Badminton Club in Lisburn and the Ulster U13 and U15 squads for the past four years.

This victory is testament to his hard work and dedicated training regime.

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It’s the first major milestone in the 14 year old’s promising sporting
career.

He hopes that future success and more provincial team selection honours will beckon in the coming
years.

Matthew commented after his win, “I’m delighted and relieved to finally pick up my first provincial title trophy and now my aim is to focus on preparing for the Leinster and Irish National U15 competitions in the New Year.”

Matthew has had a very successful season this year along with his new playing partner from the Foyle Club in Londonderry, Kyle Magee, who is the number one seeded U13 player in Ireland.

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In their first season together, they have reached the semi-final of the Munster U15 tournament in Limerick, came runners up in a closely contested Connaught U15 Final in Galway and were ranked number one seeds coming into the Ulster U15 tournament, which they won 21-19, 21-16 against the very strong Leinster pairing of Mark Gannon and Jack Lawlor.

The future looks bright for the Waringsford lad and he’s now keen to produce a good performance at the Irish Nationals in Baldoyle, Dublin in February
2014.

That may put him in contention for Ulster and Irish team selection for the season-ending Inter-provincials and Four Nations Quadrangular events.

Related topics:Ulster