Elva Gannon and Pauline Maguire from Dublin's Regent Bridge Club have reached the final of the women's pairs event at the Generali European Bridge Championships in Malta. The Irish pair played some of the best bridge of their careers in the third session, to jump from 13th to sixth place. The final will be contested by some 28 pairs with carry-over scores.
Gannon and Maguire are only the third Irish pair ever to reach the final of this prestigious event, emulating the feat of the late Eileen O'Doherty and Ann Quinn, in 1991, and Teresa Rigney and Hilary Dowling-Long, in 1997. Players from Italy, the Netherlands and France lead the qualifiers.
There was even more joy for Irish followers when the Letter Post Ireland team registered three consecutive victories in the open team championship. Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, Niall Toibin and Pat Walshe lined out to defeat Turkey 18-12. Gay Keaveney and Rory Timlin joined Toibin and Walsh in a 19-11 win over the Czech Republic. Then Hanlon and McGann, Toibin and Walsh combined to beat Liechtenstein 17-13. The Irish team are now in 10th place.
As the map of Europe changes, the number of participating countries continues to increase. The European Bridge League has announced that this is the last time that the complete round robin format will be used. From now on, there will be two divisions. The top 16 finishers in this year's championship will form a type of premier league.
Sweden, after beating Spain in the head-on clash, now lead. Italy, holders for the past two championships, are next. Ireland next face tough opponents, Russia and Iceland.