Over 70s seal home success with victory in the Granite City

Top Masters players from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland gathered in Aberdeen for the latest instalment of the Masters Home Internationals at the weekend.

With the MO50, WO50 and MO70 in action, there was no shortage of high-quality squash action on display at Aberdeen Squash and Racketball Club.

It was the first time the Scottish leg of the event had been held in the Granite City since 2018, and it was the Scottish O70s who show rock-solid resolve to pull off a win, by the narrowest of margins.

The hosts made a flying start on Friday night, with all three Scottish teams beating their Welsh counterparts.

The men were particularly dominant, dropping just three games across the ten matches played in both age groups.

The WO50 contest proved far tighter, with Donna Cruickshank, Pauline Douglas and Sam Hart securing wins in a contest where the teams could barely be separated, sharing 10 games apiece but Scotland edging ahead on matches won.

Saturday morning started with the a tough test test against strong England teams who proved to be formidable opposition.

Scotland found wins hard to come by in the WO50s and MO70s, managing to take just a single game in each tie.

The MO70s proved a different story, with Peter Shivas, David Irvine and Bryan Jackson wins sealing an impressive win.

That set up a thrilling final encounter with Ireland in the O70s, with Ireland on 39 points and Scotland on 35 points everything hinged on the final match.

It proved to be a tussle for the ages, as Peter Shivas and Ian Ross wins helped set the stage for a decisive showdown between David Irvine and Michael Conlon.

David showed incredible resolve to fight back from two games down to win 3-2, much to the delight of his teammates, and the home supporters watching from the balcony.

With a memorable win in the O70s and two third-place finishes, it was a strong weekend for Scotland’s Masters in Aberdeen.

MO70s captain Rob Thompson said: “Being an extremely proud captain of the victorious Scottish Men’s Over 70 team is the highlight of my squash career. I have captained other successful teams in a 57-year playing career. Working and training with these generous, caring, hardworking and committed team members; watching their endeavours on the court and witnessing their whole-hearted support of each other throughout the weekend in Aberdeen brought a tear to my eye at the moment of well-deserved victory.

“On a more general note, the event organisation was superb. ASRC surpassed every expectation. Josh and his team worked hard to ensure everyone’s experience was first-class. Being piped in on Saturday morning was a brilliant idea! I have heard nothing but praise from all the competitors. Having the excellent Spires accommodation across the road made the tournament feel very inclusive. The food throughout the weekend was generous and appetising and the presentation banquet and entertainment was great fun. The matches were all played in good spirit. The camaraderie that is inspired within an extremely competitive atmosphere speaks highly of the sportsmanship of all the players involved. What a successful event!”

Thank you to Inverarity Morton who kindly sponsored a gift for the visiting teams, and to SKN Electrical who provided a donation of table wine.