Elsa O'Riain is on course to make it three-in-a-row in the Danone sponsored Irish Tennis Close Championship after coming through her quarter-final game with Joanne Macken at Donnybook on Wednesday evening. The 19-year-old from Cork dropped just two games en route to a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 victory out on Court 6 and now faces the unseeded Aoife O'Neill for a place in the final.
O'Neill did not enjoy the best of starts losing the opening set against Andrea Ryan, but she came good after that to take her place in the last four. The other pairing sees five times winner and number four seed Gina Niland up against Emma Heffernan. Heffernan was awarded a walkover against number two seed Claire Curran who hurt herself in training late on Tuesday night. Niland for her part dispatched Lisa O'Shea on a 6-1 6-3 scoreline despite a late flourish from her opponent.
Meanwhile, in the Men's event Colin O'Brien continued his amazing run as he reached the last eight following a straight sets victory over James Colhoun. The 17-year-old Malahide Leaving Cert student began the tournament with a shock defeat of established Irish international Stephen Nugent on Tuesday, and on current form looks capable of making it all the to the final. However, a repeat of last year's final between holder John Doran and runner-up Conor Niland could also be on the cards after both safely negotiated their third round games.
Men's last sixteenG Kilduff bt D Fluskey 5-7 6-4 6-2C Niland bt J McGahon 6-2 6-2S Taylor bt N Malone 6-2 7-6N Fagan bt B Fagan 7-6 0-6 7-6J Doran bt M Finnegan 6-3 6-4C O'Brien bt J Colhoun 6-3 6-4C Taylor bt F Molle 6-0 6-1D O'Connell bt S Collins 6-1 6-7 6-3
Ladies' quarter-finals:E O'Riain bt J Macken 6-1 6-1A O'Neill bt A Ryan 2-6 6-1 6-2G Niland bt L O'Shea 6-1 6-3E Hefferan bt C Curran w/o
Filed by Shane Murray
