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

[Event "Ulster Team Ch Final"] [Site "Belfast"] [Date "2004.05.16"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Mallaghan, Danny"] [Black "Devenney, Ray"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B23"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2004.05.16"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 e6 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. Qe1 d5 9. Bb3 Nd4 10. Nxd4 Bxd4+ (10... cxd4 {is the usual move here.}) 11. Kh1 Bg7 12. f5 d4 $6 (12... gxf5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 exd5 {was probably Black's best option, though after} 15. Qg3 {White has got good attacking chances.}) 13. f6 Bxf6 14. Rxf6 dxc3 15. Bh6 cxb2 16. Rb1 Qd4 17. Rf3 Re8 18. Bd2 Nc6 19. Bc3 Qd6 20. Qh4 Nd4 $2 (20... Qf8 {had to be played.}) 21. Rxf7 $3 Kxf7 (21... h5 22. Qf6 {leads to a quick checkmate.}) 22. Qxh7+ Kf8 (22... Kf6 23. Rf1+ Kg5 ( 23... Ke5 24. Qg7#) 24. Bd2+ Kg4 25. Qh3#) 23. Rf1+ Nf5 24. Qg7# 1-0