Matthew and Stuart are in search of a national title

Matthew Cheung and Stuart McCollam are off in search of an Irish title this weekend.
Matthew Cheung and Stuart McCollam are out to be named Irish champions.Matthew Cheung and Stuart McCollam are out to be named Irish champions.
Matthew Cheung and Stuart McCollam are out to be named Irish champions.

The pair recently led the Alpha challenge in the Celtic Challenge and will be in Galway this weekend seeking to capture titles in the Carlton Irish Under 13 Nationals at Galway Lawn Tennis Club.

They know their biggest challenge will be in the Boys Singles, where Matthew is seeded top ahead of David Downey, Christopher O’Donoghue and Vincent Pontanosa.

This season ,Matthew has won the Ulster Under 13 Open beating Pontanosa in the final and was runner-up in both the Munster and Connacht Opens.

With a healthy 25 entries for the singles, the unseeded Stuart McCollam will be relishing the opportunity to create an upset in the seedings and faces Dylan Noble of Whitehall Road Junior Club in the opening round. If he makes it through, he will meet No3/4 seed Vincent Pontanosa for a place in the quarter-finals.

Doubles partner Matthew, who is currently ranked first in Ireland at Under 13 level, will have to wait to find out who he meets in Round Two as Richard Kong and Paddy Nolan play for the privilege.

Meanwhile, Banbridge District’s Jason Ferguson faces David Kong from the host club.

Without doubt, it will be in the Boys Doubles that Alpha pair Matthew and Stuart are looking to make the biggest impact.

They will have to wait for the outcome of the Peter Burke/Daniel Wynne and Neil O’Sullivan/Sean Wynne clash but would be due to meet Benjamin Darragh and Vincent Pontanosa in the final.

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