Murphy Edges Out Maddock In Gruelling GMBS Decider

Written by Antoin Ó Braoin

It was the match of the championship so far as two players gave it their all in extremely humid conditions at New Ross tonight and after almost 90 minutes it was Stephen Murphy, Castlebridge who emerged the winner against a so unlucky Frank Maddock, Ballymitty in the county 60×30 Golden Masters B Singles final. Two players renowned for their fitness needed every bit of that conditioning in a match of fluctuating fortunes as first one and then the other appeared in the ascendancy only for the other to find some more.
Maddock dominated the early exchanges and was well in control at 13-2 and 17-6 only for Murphy to storm back and head him at 18-17. The comeback stalled when he lost his hand twice though and Maddock recovered his composure to take the game 21-18.  Murphy got back into the groove right from the restart and serving and killing with aplomb he raced away to win the second by a facile 21-5 to leave this final all square. The third  was simply exhilarating as both battled for supremacy with numerous energy sapping rallies mixed in with great retrieving and the occasional bad miss.
Maddock led 14-10 and 19-15 and 20-17 but the determined Murphy who plays Paul Ruane, Kildare in the Leinster GMBS final at Arklow this coming Saturday simply refused to yield and in a welter of excitement he prevailed 21-20 in a match that neither deserved to lose.