A look at Alpha’s stars

Tony Stephenson

Tony Stephenson is Alpha’s most experienced player and like both Sinead Chambers and Caroline Black, was a member of the NI squad for the previous Games held in 2010 in Delhi.

Now 23, he lifted the Ulster Open Mens Singles and Doubles titles this season, beating Andrew McKee 21-13 21-9 in the Singles and partnering Tony Murphy to a straight sets victory over Ciaran Chambers and Ryan Stewart in the Doubles.

Whilst Jonathan Dolan seems to be the rising star of Irish badminton, Tony nevertheless would have been disappointed to lose to Dolan at the semi-final stage of the Irish Nationals, going down 21-19 21-17 particularly when Ireland’s No1 Scott Evans was missing through injury.

Stephenson was a member of the Men’s European Team in Basel with Ireland sadly being drawn in a group with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the best nation on the continent Denmark.

However, he would have been more than satisfied with his performance against Denmark’s Emil Holst going down 21-17 21-17 and he was to lose his singles against the Czech Republic’s Jakub Bitman 21-17 21-17. In their doubles Scott Evans and Stephenson came close, losing 21-16 12-21 21-19.

Such was the strength of the various international events in men’s singles, it was often very difficult getting through the qualifying rounds but back in January in Iceland he was to enjoy a couple of victories before losing out to Luke Wraber in three sets.

In the Welsh Open after a three set win over promising Oliver Thompson, he came close to causing an upset against Kian Anderson of Denmark.

Tony Murphy

Tony Murphy won the men’s doubles titles at this year’s Ulster Open with Stephenson beating Ciaran Chambers and Ryan Stewart in the final and was a beaten finalist in the Irish National mixed doubles with Jennie King.

He was, of course, a member of the all-Alpha Ulster team who trounced Leinster in the Inter Pro 7-3. Murphy had started the season so well lifting both the men’s doubles with Stephenson at Mount Pleasant beating Daniel Magee and Niall Tierney and the mixed doubles with Jennie King.

Sinead Chambers and Caroline Black

The season has been a long one for Alpha’s leading women’s doubles partnership.

Sinead Chambers and Caroline Black met their major target of qualifying for the European Championships in Russia, although they were to go out to leading English pair Gabrielle Adcock and Lauren Smith 21-12 21-7, whose challenge was brought to an equally abrupt end at the hands of a Russian pair, whose victors Christinna Pederson and Kamill Juhi were the top seeds and went on to lift the title.

Caroline and Sinead reached the quarter-finals of the Croatian Open beating the Austrian pair of Langthaler and Sorger 21-12 22-24 21-18 but their run was ended by Ozge Bayrak and Neslihan Yigit, the top seeds.

In the Iceland International in Reykjavik they reached the semi-finals going out to the top seeds Sarah Thomas and Carissa Turner 21-11 21-14 who had a straight sets victory in the final.

Both Sinead and Caroline have been clearly focused throughout the season staking their claims for inclusion in the Games team with more sterling performances throughout Europe in the mixed doubles. Sinead teamed up with brother Ciaran while Caroline’s partnership with Stuart Lightbody was somewhat de-railed earlier this season by Stuart being ruled out of the trip to Estonia due to requiring an emergency appendix operation and missing a number of competitions as he recuperated.

After Stuart’s return, Caroline and he were runners up in the mixed doubles, knocking out Sinead and Ciaran on the way. Lightbody’s absence from the Commonwealth Games side will be a disappointment for the 21 year old.

In Croatia, Caroline and Stuart were to be knocked out by the German pair Jones Jansen and Cisita Jansen 21-12 21-13, the No2 seeds, while the Chambers reached the quarter-finals having beaten Alpha clubmates Ryan Stewart and Keady Smith 21-19 in the third.

In Iceland, the Chambers were seeded No2 and reached the quarter-finals before going out to Dennerly-Minturn and Stapleton.

Sinead was also a member of Ireland’s European side in Basel where they faced Bulgaria,France and Holland. Sinead was beaten in the singles against France and the doubles against Holland but then recorded a fine 21-17 21-18 victory over Iris Tabelling in her final singles.

Ciaran Chambers

The Commonwealth Games will be the biggest competition Ciaran Chambers (20) has played in and he is eagerly waiting to be part of what is such a high profile event.

He will benefit from having his sister Sinead by his side not only in the team but also on the court.

Alannah Stephenson

Alannah Stephenson is the youngest member of the squad.

The Wallace High School pupil was only 15 when she made her Irish debut at the European Women’s Team Championships in Holland and earlier this year won the Young Player of the Year award.

A member of Badminton Ireland’s High Performance Squad, Alannah won both the Irish U19 and Ulster Open singles titles beating the promising Rachael Darragh in three sets and then Sinead Chambers in straight sets.

In February, the 17 year-old joined her Alpha clubmate Sinead Chambers on the Irish European Championships team in Basel, recording a fine victory in the singles against the Dutch and partnered Jennie King in the doubles.

In the Estonian International, Alannah, who is ranked No5 in Ireland, opened her account with a three set victory over Riikka Sinkko only to go out to the top seed Martina Repiska 21-15 16-21 21-15. With her clubmate Keady Smith, she lost to the New Zealand pair in Iceland.

Raymond Millar

Raymond Millar, who has been a member of Alpha for nigh on thirty years, will be off to the Commonwealth Games as the only badminton technical official from the province.

Raymond started playing on leaving school and played at Seymour Hill Methodist Church but has been heavily involved as a co-ordinator for recent Open Championships and the Police and Fire Games hosted by the Alpha club.