Ireland Men Go Out In Basel

At the European Team Badminton Championships in Basel, Switzerland, the Irish men agonisingly lost 2-3 in their second match against the Czech Republic.

Scott Evans had made a good start for the team when he beat the Czech No 1 Petr Koukal 21-16, 21-16. In the second singles, Jonathan Dolan won the opening set 21-11 but eventually lost 21-11, 18-21, 12-21 to Jan Frohlich, and Ireland went 1-2 down when Tony Stephenson lost the third singles to Jakub Bitman 17-21, 12-17.

Easiest win of the match came in the first doubles won by Dolan and Sam Magee 21-12, 21-6. Evans and Stephenson paired up for the second doubles, and after a battling display went down 16-21, 21-12, 19-21.

" Unlucky for us yesterday - shame not to win the second singles and the second men's doubles could have gone either way," said Scott Evans after.
Following their 0-4 defeat by Bulgaria on Tuesday, the Irish women's team lost to France 1-4 in the women's tournament. Chloe Magee beat Sashina Vignes Waran (world No23) 22-20,21-17, while Sinead Chambers won the first set against Dephine Lansac (European Junior Champion)before losing in three sets.

Results - Men: Ireland v Czech Republic (Irish first) - Scott Evans bt Petr Koukal 21-16, 21-6; Jonathan Dolan lost to Jan Frohlich 21-11, 18-21, 12-21,; Tony Stepehnson lost to Jakub Bitman 71-21, 12-21; Dolan/Sam Magee bt Pavel Florian/Ondrej Kopriva 21-12, 21-6; Evans/Stephenson lost to Bitman/Koukal 16-21, 21-12, 19-21.

Women: Ireland v France (Irish first) - Chloe Magee bt Sashina Viges Waran 22-20,21-14, Alannah Stephenson lost to Perrine Le Buhanic 21-23, 11-21, Sinead Chambers lost to Delphine Lansac 13-21, 21-19, 16-21; Jennie King/Stephenson lost to Emilie Lefel/Anne Tran 16-21, 14-21; Chambers/Magee lost to Lorraine Baumann/Waran 14-21, 17-21.

* Ireland play top seeds Denmark in their final group match today (Thu) at 13.00 (Irish time). The Irish women play the Netherlands at 17.00 (Irish time).