DUNDALK’S FREE NEWSPAPER Garry takes on Irish legends
Christmas Day GOAL Mile at DkIT
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Busy time for Karate Club Page 14
Ruth returns home to claim national title
Thursday, 5th January, 2017. Vol. 10, Issue 1 • 63 Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Tel: 042 9320888. Fax: 042 9329676. Email: editorial@dundalkleader.com; advertising@dundalkleader.com
By Paul Byrne
Ruth Copas became the Irish ladies National Tennis champion on New Year’s Eve when she defeated Karola Bejenaru (World No 811) from Romania in a gladiators contest taking the title 1-6, 7-5, 7-6. Copas, who is currently on a full-time scholarship at the university of New Mexico, is now going into her second semester of competition January to May 2017. En route to the final Copas went in as the Non2 seed for the event defeating Shauna O’Keefe in the first round 6-1 6-3. In the second round Copas defeated the Irish U-18 champion Shauna Heffernan 6-3 6-3 before dispatching Carragh Courtney 7-6, 6-1 in the semi-finals. In the final, Ruth certainly went in as the underdog with Bejenaru currently competing
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Spirit of Fr Ted alive on Blackrock Beach By Paul Byrne
Ruth Copas
on the professional ladies tour and having already dispatched Copas on a couple of occasions. Things were not looking pretty when Ruth was trailing 1-6, 2-5 but her grit and will to win kept oxygen flowing through her veins and managed to pull a set back before winning the title after three hours play. In the Irish ranks she will now go in as the No 1 ranked lady and will certainly be Full Story Page 2
The spirit of Fr Ted was alive and well on St Stephen’s Day on Blackrock beach as Conor Hughes and friends hosted their annual fundraiser for Crosscause. Conor’s charity Crosscause has been helping the people of Romania, Moldova and Ghana for over ten years and his St Stephen’s Day get together is the charity’s main fundraiser each year. Over the years Conor has dressed up as Charlie Chaplin, a bee, Thierry Henry’s hand as well as hosting his own version of The Gathering
Ciaran Phillips, Conor Hughes and Colm Rogan (which he labelled The were treated to a lovely Scattering) all in an effort to girl’s competition as well as raise money for Crosscause. a peace and reconciliation This year’s event tent, moving statues, buns incorporated a Fr Ted theme and nuns, a baby strongman and on the day visitors See Page 2