National Badminton success for Dan Ryan

Last Saturday saw an extraordinary success for one of Nenagh Badminton Club’s Dan Ryan who achieved All-Ireland glory, winning the Grade ‘F’ National Men’s Singles title.

This success progresses Dan to represent Ireland at the Four Nations event later in the year, where he will come up against qualified players from England, Scotland, and Wales.

Dan, who trains in Nenagh and Ballycommon, becomes the third player in the history of Ballycommon badminton to represent Ireland at an international event of this format, joining Michael O’Meara and Celine Connors.

Dan Ryan has had a brilliant season to date, with successes ranging from individual to team victories. Most notably, his part on the U19 and Grade F (Division 4) Tipperary teams, and Nenagh’s own Grade F team, that have all reached All-Ireland finals in the coming weeks.

As well as this, he has represented his school, Borrisokane Community College, achieving second place at the Munster Schools competition this year, he has also represented Tipperary at higher grades, on the E (Division 3) and D (Division 2) teams.

The event on Saturday, the Irish Graded Nationals Finals, are held every year in the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena, in Blanchardstown, Dublin, where players of all grades (divisions) who have qualified from the previous rounds of the Nationals held on separate dates, meet to contest the finals. All five disciplines are played off including: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

The event on Saturday marks a significant performance from Dan, with many tuning in live on YouTube to see his match, and all from Tipperary were delighted with the result.

In the final against Waterford’s Shea Farrell, after a close first set 21-16, Dan pulled away to win the second set 21-9, after a nail-biting forty-shot rally saw him close the match in masterful style.

Nenagh Badminton Club wish him well for the future, well done Dan!