The 21st Irish Open was held over the weekend at the Leisureplex Stillorgan bowling centre in Dublin and it saw 140 men and 45 women competing for the titles. The first round aw Michael di Giorno of the Netherlands lead with 1866 over the 8 games with Svein Roger Olsen (Norway) second on 1828 and Barry Foley (Ireland) third on 1818. The English contingent was lead by Paul Moor in ninth place on 1758, Clive Morris in twelfth place with 1731 and Matt Miller in fourteenth place with 1730. Also making the cut were Stuart Williams (18th - 1709), Andy Bloor (25th - 1682), Jonathon Herrin (27th - 1680), Nick Froggatt (30th - 1679), Steve Miller (31st - 1665), Chris Beasley (33rd - 1656), Paul Evans (36th - 1653), Dom Barrett (38th - 1648), Craig Farr (45th - 1619), Dave Woods (48th - 1612), Steve Foley (52nd - 1602), Simon Brown (53rd - 1599), Matt Hann (54th - 1599), Peter Sampson (57th - 1586) and Chris Maughan (69th - 1599). Billy Nimick led the contingent from Northern Ireland in eighth place with 1777 closely followed by Grant Dugan in tenth place with 1749 while Paul Bennet led the charge for Scotland in 21st place on 1702 while Mark McQueen was in 23rd place with 1689.Ireland's Eoin McLaughlin bowled a 300 in the last qualifying game for 40th place and 1636.
Joline Persson Planefors of Sweden led the women's division in the first round with 1765. Second was Ireland's Kerena Dykes on 172 and third was Christel Carlsson (Sweden) with 1663. Kirsten Penny led the English bowler in sixth place on 1607 with Angie Brown (18th - 1497), Lisa Sharpe (20th - 1479) and Karen Parslow (24th - 1410) also qualifying in the top 36.Laura Rhoney was the sole Scott in eighth place with 1588 while Northern Ireland were represened by Karen Payne (19th - 1487) and Donna Horton (22nd - 1449).
The second round saw Ireland's Alan Gibbons take over the lead with 2734 over the 12 games with Jacob Carlsson (Sweden) second on 2720 and England's Paul Moor third with 2674. Also qualifying for the top 36 were Matt Miller (2597), Andy Bloor (2587), Clive Morris (2557), Stuart Williams (2541), Nick Froggatt (2491), Jonathon Herrin (2485), Steve Miller (2469), Craig Farr (2465) and Dom Barrett (2465). Grant Dugan (2596), Billy Nimick(2534) and Ryan Press (2526) were still in the chase for Northern Ireland while Scotland's Mark McQueen (2640) in seventh and Paul Bennett (2536) also were still there.
Joline Persson Planefors continued to lead the women's section with 2570. Christel Carlsson moved up to second on 2504 and third was Scotland's Laura Rhoney with 2496. England's Kirsten Penny was sixth on 2475 with Angie Brown (2306) and Lisa Sharpe (2223) also qualifying. Karen Payne (2322) represented Northern Ireland in the final 18. The men played a further 4 games to make their cut to the top 18. Paul Moor continued to lead over the 16 games on 3591 with Michael Di Giornio now second with 3584 and Mark McQueen third with 3528. Matt Miler was now sixth on 3492 and Northern Ireland's Grant Dugan seventh on 3485. The biggest move of the round was by Dom Barrett who shot 985 over the four games for tenth place on 3450. Steve Miller (3426), Ryan Press (3417), Stuart Williams (3402) and Nick Froggatt (3395) also made the last eighteen.
The top 18 men and women now played a further 4 games before cutting to the top 10 men and top 8 women. Paul Moor continued to lead on 4489 but it was Dom Barrett who again stormed through the round hitting a further 1024 over the 4 games to take second place with 4474. Ireland's Alan Gibbons was third with 4456. Joining them were Michael Di Giornio (Netherlands), Stephen Joyce (Ireland), Graham Turner (Ireland), Grant Dugan (Northern Ireland), Jacob Carlsson (Sweden), Alan Bride (Ireland) and Mark McQueen (Scotland).
Joline Persson Planefors led the top 8 women on 3471 with Patcharin Torgersen of Norway second on 3426 and Christel Carlsson (Sweden) third on 3377. Joining them were Kirsten Penny (England), Kerena Dykes (Ireland), Emma Sandblam (Sweden), Kelly Plummen (Netherlands) and Laura Rhoney (Scotland). In the round robins Dom Barrett was unstoppable winning all 9 games to take top spot for the stepladder final with 6945. Paul Moor qualified in second with 6650 and Michael Di Giornio took the thir spot on 6631 just ahead of Ireloand's Graham Turner on 6603 despite bowling a 300 game. The women's round robin went down to the final game with Patcharin Torgersen taking top spot on 5051, Kerena Dykes second on 5047 despite losing her last game and Kirsten Penny third with 5034.
Stepladders can be cruel formats at time and it was going to cruel to both top seeds who had to sit out for a game so that their opponent could be decided. Paul Moor desptached Michael Di Giornio 253-165 and Kerena Dykes defeated Kirsten Penny 202-180. In the title matches long time leader and top seed Dom Barrett fell to Paul Moor 234-189 and Patcharin Torgersen fell to Karena Dykes 228-190. For both winners it was their second Irish Open titles after Paul Moor won in 2005 and Karena Dykes winning in 2007.
News 
Paul Moor and Kerena Dykes win 2009 Irish Open
