Merrien's Irish delight

ALISON MERRIEN has won another major title with victory in the inaugural Heritage International Classic in Killenard, near Portlaoise, in the Irish Republic yesterday. She stormed through a world-class field that included the world outdoor champion Margaret Johnston and indoor champion Julie Forrest.

The 30-year-old produced a series of outstanding displays, reaching the final with wins over two Jersey hopefuls, Lindsey Greechan and Gaynor Thomas, before beating former Ireland team captain Muriel Wilkinson in the final.

'I was pretty pleased with my form in the final,' said a beaming Merrien after returning an 8-6, 9-5 card that did her scant justice.

'I had a shaky spell towards the end of the first set, but other than that I always felt in control.'

Opening up an 8-1 lead after six ends, she dropped shots on the last three ends, but always had a comfortable cushion and Wilkinson's second set challenge virtually ended when Merrien scored a full house on the fifth end to lead 6-4.

Earlier, Merrien was involved in a fascinating encounter with her Jersey rival Greechan, who won the first set and was still neck-and-neck at one-shot-all in the best-of-three ends tiebreak.

The Guernsey star set up a winning lie on the sudden death last end, forcing Greechan on to the difficult side of the rink and the Jersey girl's three attempts to regain the shot failed, leaving Merrien a relieved 5-9, 8-3, 2-1 winner.

Merrien's drawing to the jack against Gaynor Thomas delighted everyone except the Jersey star and her supporters, and she was good value for her 10-4, 9-5 victory.

Carol Ingrouille, who achieved a memorable win over world ace Margaret Johnston on Friday, bravely kept pace with Thomas in the quarter-finals, but it was the Welsh born Jersey player who came out on top, 8-8, 7-5.

In the men's event, both Guernsey's representatives made a quarter-final exit, Nicky Donaldson going down to the eventual winner, Nicky Brett, and Neal Mollet giving best to extreme sports fanatic Kevin Rice, from Edinburgh.

Jersey's Tommy Greechan came tantalisingly close to toppling Brett in the semi-finals and making it an all-Jersey final, but the Englishman not only edged past Greechan 8-8, 8-6, but accounted for John Lowery as well, 7-7, 11-4.