North South League

The North/South League entered it’s third year of competition on the first weekend in September with 12 teams representing 11 clubs taking part.Ulster introduced a new club to the event this year-Hilden Tennis club-who replaced one of the two Portadown teams that played last year. The committee of the league are anxious to increase the number of clubs on either side of the two jurisdictions and after the competition finishes this year, plans are being made for several deputations to go and visit various clubs,some of whom have already expressed an interest in the N/S League,to try and get them on board. Clubs who have already contacted the committee include Enniskillen, Sligo, Letterkenny, as well as Donegal clubs Butt Hall and Ramelton.  If further clubs do committ to playing in the League, it may well require two sections to be introduced,as the wider the net grows, the harder it becomes logistically as the distance between clubs becomes too great. Breaking it down into a North,South,East and a North,South,West split of clubs would make the distances a lot shorter and more viable.

While competiton is quite fierce between some of the clubs in particular, the ethos of the League is that tennis people from both sides of the Border in Ireland can come together,enjoy a match,enjoy a bit of craic at the apres match cup of tea and sandwiches,visit clubs outside their own area and compare facilities, that otherwise they may not have had a chance to see. 

 The vision going forward is to have a substantial number of clubs over a wide part of the island competing in the League, individuals forming new and long term friendships, respect for each others cultures, and an overall enjoyment of the game of tennis.

Results

FINALS Dundalk def. Portadown 3-1 PLAY OFF Mullingar def. Hilden SEMI-FINALS Portadown def. Hilden 3-1 Dundalk def. Mullingar			South		North	South	North	Result
Week	1	Saturday Sept. 1st	Dundalk Lions	v’s	Downshire	0	0
			Kells	v’s	Portadown	0	4	Portadown
			Ardee	v’s	Newry	0	4	Newry
			Mullingar	v’s	Hilden	3	1	Mullingar
			Dundalk Tigers	v’s	Banbridge	0	4	Banbridge
			Stackallen	v’s	Newcastle	3	1	Stackallen
Week	2	Saturday Sept. 8th	Dundalk Lions	v’s	Portadown	4	0	Dundalk
			Kells	v’s	Newry	2	2	Draw
			Ardee	v’s	Hilden	1	3	Hilden
			Mullingar	v’s	Banbridge	4	0	Mullingar
			Dundalk Tigers	v’s	Newcastle	2	2	Draw
			Stackallen	v’s	Downshire	2	2	Draw
Week	3	Saturday Sept. 15th	Dundalk Lions	v’s	Newry	0	0
			Kells	v’s	Hilden	0	4	Hilden
			Ardee	v’s	Banbridge	3	1	Ardee
			Mullingar	v’s	Newcastle	2	2	Draw
			Dundalk Tigers	v’s	Downshire	0	0
			Stackallen	v’s	Portadown	1	3	Portadown
Week	4	Saturday Sept. 22nd	Dundalk Lions	v’s	Hilden	4	0	Dundalk
			Kells	v’s	Banbridge	2	2	Draw
			Ardee	v’s	Newcastle	2	2	Draw
			Mullingar	v’s	Downshire	2	2	Draw
			Dundalk Tigers	v’s	Portadown	1	3	Portadown
			Stackallen	v’s	Newry	3	1	Stackallen
Week	5	Saturday Sept. 29th	Dundalk Lions	v’s	Banbridge	2	2	Draw
			Kells	v’s	Newcastle	0	4	Newcastle
			Ardee	v’s	Downshire	0	0
			Mullingar	v’s	Portadown	0	4	Portadown
			Dundalk Tigers	v’s	Newry	0	0
			Stackallen	v’s	Hilden	0	4	Hilden
Week	6	Saturday Oct. 6th	Dundalk Lions	v’s	Newcastle	4	0	Dundalk
			Kells	v’s	Downshire	0	0
			Ardee	v’s	Portadown	1	3	Portadown