TONY HEALY

 

 Regardless of what Tony may achieve in future years he will remember 1999 as one of the most memorable seasons of his career.  It was a glorious year starting with his February trip to Itasca, Illinois, where he won the Open Singles at the USHA Collegiate championships – the first time the title was taken by a European.

 

The success continued when he made his first appearance at home as a Senior Player and came through the 40x20 championship as the new Munster Champion.  This was followed by victories during a Cappagh, Co. Limerick weekend against Eamonn Conneely of Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final and over Michael Ducksie Walsh of Kilkenny , who was bidding for his eighth “small court” title in the All Ireland Final.

 

 Less than a week later he collected a second gold medal when he and John Herlihy went north to Carrickmore and won the doubles by beating Paddy Crothers and John McGarry of Antrim. Not bad for the first senior season! 

 

But hitherto, Tony had not been stranger to success as he had several impressive underage triumphs starting in 1993 when he won the under-16 singles at 40x20.  In 1995 and ’96 he won the minor singles and the doubles along with namesake, but no relation, Jer Healy. He captured the Irish Universities’ Open Singles title in ’97 and again last year but was deprived of a three-in-a-row in ’98 when beaten in a splendid final by Paul Brady, against whom he had revenge earlier this month in the 2000 All-Ireland 40x20 singles final in Kilkenny.

 

Although his major successes have been in the 40 x 20 court, Tony has had some wins in the 60x30 championships.  Six years ago he won the under-16 doubles with his cousin Danny Healy and in 1998 he captured the intermediate singles having got the title in the same grade during the 40x20 season earlier in the year.

 

            Tony has competed in the Waterford Crystal Nationals since the start and was the winner of the Boys’ 17 & Under in ’95 and the 19-bracket the following year.  In 1998 Tony received a wild card entry the Waterford Crystal Men’s Open Irish Nationals and had a terrific battle with Walter O’Connor in the quarter-finals, but unfortunately had to withdraw from the quarter-finals in 1999 through injury.

 

In April 2000 Tony retained the 40x20 singles title by beating Paul Brady of Cavan in the final at O’Loughlins in Kilkenny and four weeks later he won the Men's Open at the Waterford Crystal Nationals for the first time with another fine victory over Paul Brady in the final.

 

He was named the Player of the Year for ’99 at the Waterford Crystal Annual Awards Banquet at the Cusach Club in April 2000. He will represent Ireland in the Men’s Open  in the Waterford Crystal World Championships in Chicago in October 2000.

 

 A graduate of UCC, Tony works as a computer programmer.

He plays for the  Ballydesmond Club in Cork.

Date of Birth is January 18, 1978.