Ulster Team Championship Final 2004

QUB Staff Common Room Belfast
Sunday 16 May

Round 1

Not for the first time, this event was played on a particularly hot, sunny day. The Clifton House team was missing two of its regular League players, Desmond Moreland and Chris Black, and had to default Board 5 in the morning. Despite this handicap, Clifton House shared the spoils with Belfast and District League champions Fisherwick in the first Round.

CLIFTON HOUSE    2.5-2.5  FISHERWICK

TOM CLARKE(B)      1-0    MICHAEL WATERS(W)
STEPHEN MORGAN     1-0    KIERAN GREER
DANNY MALLAGHAN    1/2    JOHN CAIRNS
DAMIEN CUNNINGHAM  0-1    JOHN BRADLEY
DEFAULT            0-1    GRAEME McCORMICK

Round 2

The afternoon session saw Paul McLoughlin added to the Clifton House team, while Fisherwick was strengthened by the inclusion of former Irish champion, Ray Devenney on Board 3. Two early wins on Board 2 and 3 put Clifton House in the driving seat. John Cairns then pulled one back for Fisherwick, before Michael Waters brought the scores level again with a hard-fought win over Tom Clarke. All now depended on the Board 5 game. Fisherwick needed a win on this board because in the event of a 5.0-5.0 result Clifton House would win on board count. In fact, tie-break wasn't needed when John Bradley (in a losing position) overstepped the time limit.

CLIFTON HOUSE    3.0-2.0  FISHERWICK

TOM CLARKE(W)      0-1    MICHAEL WATERS(B)
STEPHEN MORGAN     1-0    KIERAN GREER
DANNY MALLAGHAN    1-0    RAY DEVENNEY
DAMIEN CUNNINGHAM  0-1    JOHN CAIRNS
PAUL McLOUGHLIN    1-0    JOHN BRADLEY

CLIFTON HOUSE    5.5-4.5  FISHERWICK

ChessBase

Mallaghan, Danny–Devenney, Ray1–0B23Ulster Team Ch Final2.3Belfast16.05.2004

1.e4 c5 2.c3 c6 3.f4 g6 4.f3 g7 5.c4 e6 6.0-0 ge7 7.d3 0-0 8.e1 d5 9.b3 d4 10.xd4 xd4+ 10...cxd4 is the usual move here. 11.h1 g7 12.f5 d4?! 12...gxf5 13.exd5 xd5 14.xd5 exd5 was probably Black's best option, though after 15.g3 White has got good attacking chances. 13.f6 xf6 14.xf6 dxc3 15.h6 cxb2 16.b1 d4 17.f3 e8 18.d2 c6 19.c3 d6 20.h4 d4? 20...f8 had to be played. 21.xf7‼ xf7 21...h5 22.f6 leads to a quick checkmate. 22.xh7+ f8 22...f6 23.f1+ g5 23...e5 24.g7# 24.d2+ g4 25.h3# 23.f1+ f5 24.g7# 1–0

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