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Grand Finals commence this Wednesday at the Irymple Leisure Centre from 7.30pm
Sunraysia Table Tennis Summer Pennant results Elimination Finals: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Rick McMeekin, Graeme O’Neill 2, Geoff Wright 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Arthur Paar 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 1) d Mallee Bearings 3 (Matt Ljubic 2, Kevin Johns 1)
Max Miller Carpets vs. Weightmans Packaging in Grand Final
PENNANT TWO:
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Reece Kurrle 2, Colin Moore, Brendan Alderton 1) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Aidan Moore 1)
– Fishers IGA 6 (Arnold Jago, Jessica Dorman 2, Jeremy Corrin 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Matt Avers 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Brian Hosking 1)
Weightmans Packaging vs. Fishers IGA in Grand Final
PENNANT THREE:
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Cambell McKenzie 3, Peter Mikhaeil 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Mick Bacon 2, Hamish Clark 1)
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Ajay Chowdhry 2, Tom Morrison, John Fitzpatrick 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 2, Stephan Ljubic 1)
Pinnacle Packers vs. Dunkley Scales in Grand Final
The return of ‘Slugger O’Neil’ from near Stta extinction has Max Miller Carpets raging hot favourites for the Summer 2014 Stta Grand Final. By his own admission Graeme O’Neil was all but retired after a dirty night back in Rnd 6. With time to clear his mind he now is finding some of the form that had opponents fearing the most lethal backhand in the business.
PENNANT ONE:
Second placed Max Miller Carpets and Weightmans Packaging who finished fourth on the home and away ladder will meet in this weeks Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant one grand final. In their head to head matches in this pennant the Carpeters combination of Rick McMeekin, Graeme O’Neill and Geoff Wright have tasted success on both occasions and rightly so will start favourites in the final against Weightmans Gavin Carmichael, Bernadette Fitzpatrick and Peter Midgley.
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Rick McMeekin, Graeme O’Neill 2, Geoff Wright 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Arthur Paar 1)
To get to the final Max Miller Carpets had to come from behind to defeat Fishers IGA who had occupied the top of the ladder for the majority of the season. Skippers Wayne Carmichael and Rick McMeekin met, late in the match, with the score line reading four rubbers all and what a match they played. Many of their matches have been top class five set tussles and this was no exception as this pennants two best players battled it out. The first two games were shared with Carmichael winning the first comfortably and like wise McMeekin the second, the third was close in Carmichaels favour and both sets of team mates were squirming in their seats knowing how important this match was. There were many fine rallies consisting of heavy top spin and when McMeekin took the fourth it was two games all. Carmichael knowing McMeekin would not lie down grabbed an early ascendancy and despite McMeekin applying pressure the fifth went Carmichael’s way with him recording an excellent win 11-4 3-11 11-9 8-11 11-7. This gave Fishers a 5-4 lead.
The next singles featured Carpeters Geoff Wright up against Fishers Lee Thomas and Wright was able to produce his best form for some time winning 11-9 11-4 11-9. The scores were now locked at five rubbers all with the Carpeters Graeme O’Neill to meet Fishers Arthur Paar to decide who would advance to the grand final.
These two like an aggressive game and it was O’Neill who grabbed the first game narrowly which set him on the track to victory despite Paar giving his best. O’Neill took the match 11-8 11-6 11-4.
After taking a two love lead early in the night and then only winning one match in the next five Max Miller Carpets had been able to steady winning three of the last four rubbers to win 6-5. Skipper McMeekin and Graeme O’Neill won two singles each while Geoff Wright won one. The doubles had been shared. Fishers skipper Wayne Carmichael won his customary three singles but his team came up one short in their quest to get to the final.
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 1) d Mallee Bearings 3 (Matt Ljubic 2, Kevin Johns 1)
In the other elimination final Weightmans Packaging defeated ladder leader Mallee Bearings who went into this match without skipper Mark Ljubic who was unavailable due to work commitments. He was replaced by another M Ljubic, his son Matt. Earlier in the week Matt had defeated Mark 11-1 in the fifth in a super 8’s semi final so Matt was bringing good form into this final. 
For Weightmans Bernadette Fitzpatrick was able to give her team a great start when she accounted for Leon Brown 11-2 10-10 11-9 the last two games Bernadette was able to maintain a slight lead and grab the match. As usual the doubles would be crucial and by winning both, Weightmans put themselves in the box seat.
Mallee Bearings fought the match out well and despite his team trailing three rubbers to five Matt Ljubic placed extreme pressure on opposing number one Gavin Carmichael and at one stage he took a two games to one lead with many fine top spin forehands forcing Carmichael to defend from too far back. Carmichael had to draw on all his experience to stay in the match and eventually he was able to get on top to win 11-4 4-11 9-11 11-5 11-6.
By winning his third singles Carmichael had won the sixth rubber for Weightmans earning them the right to advance to the grand final.
Max Miller Carpets vs. Weightmans Packaging in Grand Final
PENNANT TWO: –
Weightmans Packaging, who only took top spot on the ladder in the final round of competition, marched into the Grand Final with an easy win in their Elimination Match, whilst Tankard Dental, after being near or at the top of the ladder all season, bowed out, losing their match in the final rubber.
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Reece Kurrle 2, Colin Moore, Brendan Alderton 1) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Aidan Moore 1)
Weightmans Packaging were untroubled in this match for a Grand Final berth. After the opening rubber of five sets, only one other went beyond three.
Brothers Brendan and Andrew Alderton met first up, and played what proved to be the closest game. Andrew got away to a good start, taking the first two sets 11-9, 11-5, but could not sustain his momentum. Brendan worked his way back into the contest, leveling 2-2 with 11-9, 11-9 wins in the third and fourth sets. A very tense fifth set saw the match decided at 14-12 in Brendan’s favour to give Weightmans Packaging first blood.
Reece Kurrle quickly made that 2-0 with a straight sets win over Rachel Fitzpatrick 8, 9 and 3.
Max Miller Carpets captain Aidan Moore steadied things a little, defeating father Colin in a close four set match 10-12, 15-13, 11-9, 11-8.
Weightmans got away again though, taking the next two rubbers – Kurrle and Colin Moore the first doubles over Aidan Moore and Fitzpatrick 8, 7 and 8, and then Kurrle in his second singles win downing Andrew Alderton 7, 9 and 7.
Aidan Moore took his second singles in straight sets over Brendan Alderton, but that was all his side was to get.
Colin Moore took the fifth rubber for Weightmans in three sets over Fitzpatrick 6, 6 and 10, followed up by Kurrle and Brendan Alderton in the second doubles defeating Aidan Moore and Andrew Alderton, also in three sets, 7, 9 and 9.
Weightmans Packaging captain Reece Kurrle was relieved with his performance here. After being bundled out of the Super Eight’s only two nights earlier, losing one match to opposing captain Aidan Moore, he found, that with an early night’s sleep, his form returned.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Arnold Jago, Jessica Dorman 2, Jeremy Corrin 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Matt Avers 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Brian Hosking 1)
Fishers IGA took the second berth in this year’s Grand Final after a consistent performance here.
Neither side was playing at full strength; Fishers were without the much-improved Geoff Peters, replaced by consistent Jessica Dorman, and Tankard Dental captain Matt Avers was carrying an injury. Matt had badly cut his left hand, preventing him from getting his usual grip on the bat.
Tankard Dental took first blood though; Brian Hosking continued his improvement, hanging on to defeat Jeremy Corrin 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 5-11, 11-8.
Fishers struck back, taking the next two. The extent of Avers’ injury became apparent when he really could not get any fire into his shots in his match against Jessica Dorman. Matt was keeping the ball in play, but was unable to put any pressure on Dorman, who played a steady consistent game. Making less mistakes, Jessica wrapped the game up in three sets 9, 8 and 8. Arnold Jago made it two in a row for Fishers, defeating Peter Fitzpatrick in straight sets.
Tankard Dental steadied at 2-2 after the first doubles. Avers and Fitzpatrick had to work very hard to get the better of Jago and Corrin. After losing the first two sets 8-11, 16-18, their efforts began to pay off. With wins in the third and fourth sets 11-8, 11-6, they finished in a flourish 11-5.
Two of the next three singles also went to Tankard’s – Avers in four over Corrin and Fitzpatrick in three over Dorman. Arnold Jago kept his side in the hunt with a three set win over Brian Hosking.
Fishers IGA leveled the scores at 4-4 when Jago and Dorman easily defeated Avers and Hosking the second doubles 4, 7 and 9.
Avers made it 5-4 after defeating Jago. Arnold looked comfortable, and Matt not so, after the first two sets. Jago led 12-10, 11-8 in a close game, but looked to have the advantage. Certainly Matt’s hand was no better, and Arnold only had to worry about the humidity, like everyone else. Matt slowed his game down, and instead of going for outright winners, looked for placement and it paid off. He continued in this way, taking the last three sets 8, 6 and 8 to win a match that looked gone.
Jeremy Corrin quickly leveled again, at 5-5, after walking through Fitzpatrick 7, 1 and 4 to force the match to the eleventh and deciding rubber.
Fittingly, this match went to five sets. Both players had won a rubber previously in this game, and were playing well. Fishers’ Jessica Dorman took the first set 11-7. Brian Hosking upped his game to take hard-fought wins in the second and third sets 13-11, 14-12 to take a slight advantage. 
Jessica fought back in the fourth winning 11-8, to make it a winner-take-all fifth set. The fifth was even until Hosking took a small break to lead 8-6. Fingers were crossed on both sides; once again though, Dorman was the more consistent. Hosking could only get one more point, Jessica took five to win the set 11-9 and put her side into the Grand Final.
Weightmans Packaging vs. Fishers IGA in Grand Final
PENNANT THREE:
Teams which finished first and second on the ladder advanced to next week’s Grand Final after wins in their elimination final matches this week.
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Ajay Chowdhry 2, Tom Morrison, John Fitzpatrick 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 2, Stephan Ljubic 1)
These two teams played in the final round of competition, last week, with the win going to Weightmans Packaging in the last rubber of the game. This week, Dunkley Scales reasserted themselves, taking the win, and earning a berth in the Grand Final.
Dunkley Scales were without Kim Avers, replaced by Tom Morrison, who played well in only his second game for the season.
Dunkley Scales captain, Ajay Chowdhry led from the front in this game. Chowdhry won every match he played, taking two singles in three sets and importantly, both doubles. He and John Fitzpatrick defeated Sabrina Fitzpatrick and Stephan Ljubic 12-10, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7 and later, with Tom Morrison another four set win over Sabrina and Quentin Clark 11-3, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8.
While that was going on, Weightmans Packaging could only amass three wins – Stephan Ljubic took a straight sets win over John Fitzpatrick; Sabrina also a straight sets win over Morrison, and her first, against son John was a cracker. John fought over each and every point, and pushed the game to five sets. When John’s forehand drives hit the table they were usually unplayable, and Sabrina’s stout defense gave John plenty of balls to hit. Sabrina eventually took the win 7-11, 11-8, 13-11, 17-19, 11-4.
Tom Morrison took an important win against Quentin Clark in the first round of singles. Morrison played in the junior competition, and only once so far in this Summer Pennant, so was a bit match shy. Clark got off to a good start in this game, leading 11-4, 11-8, before Morrison settled in. He then went on to take the next three sets 11-8, 14-12, 11-9 to make the scores 2-1 at that stage.
That was five rubbers to Dunkley Scales. The sixth came in the ninth game of the match – John Fitzpatrick versus Quentin Clark, and another very close five set contest. Clark needed the win to keep his side in the match, and Fitzpatrick could see a Grand Final berth. Quentin is the steadier hitter of these two, and that almost paid off. In both the fourth and fifth sets, 
Fitzpatrick held leads of four points (in the fourth 8-4) only to see Clark chip away and level. After leveling, Clark went onto take the set 11-9. In the fifth Fitzpatrick led 6-2, certainly not a winning margin, but once again Clark leveled; would this be the fourth set over again? Not this time, John regrouped to take the set 11-7. Final scores for this game 19-21, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7.
Dunkley Scales through to the Grand Final then, after a good fight from Weightmans Packaging.
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Cambell McKenzie 3, Peter Mikhaeil 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Mick Bacon 2, Hamish Clark 1)
Pinnacle Packers finished on top of the ladder and so earned the right to play fourth-placed Fishers IGA in this Elimination Final.
Cambell McKenzie has had an outstanding year this year; after winning the aggregate competition and playing in the Winter Pennant Grand Final, he looks to be on course to do the same in this competition. He has already won the aggregate again, and his side in finishing on top of the ladder, dropped only one game.
McKenzie took another haul of three games in this match, defeating both Mick Bacon and Hamish Clark in four sets, and Shirley Whitecross in three.
With three set wins over Shirley Whitecross and Hamish Clark, Pinnacle Packers captain Peter Mikhaeil clocked up another two wins for his side to put them within sight of victory.
For Fishers IGA, the pickings were fairly thin in this game. Both Hamish Clark and Mick Bacon took a win over the Packers Grant Stone, and when playing together in the first doubles Bacon and Clark downed the two form players, Mikhaeil and McKenzie in a four set contest. At that stage the score was 2-2, but from then on Pinnacle Packers edged away.
When the second doubles went against them (Mikhaeil & Stone downed Bacon and Whitecross 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8), Fishers were living on borrowed time, needing to win the last three singles, and McKenzie made sure of the win for Pinnacle Packers with victory in his third singles.
Pinnacle Packers vs. Dunkley Scales in Grand Final
