Sisters Ciara and Eimear Hutchinson from Newtownbutler enjoyed success when they represented Ulster at the table tennis Interprovincials competition held last weekend at the Irish Wheelchair Association in Clontarf, Dublin.

The girls were delighted to be selected for the U-13s mini Kadet squad, and they took gold by winning all their matches against tough competition from the Munster and Leinster teams.

Ciara and Eimear’s father, David, was thrilled to have been selected as their coach.

David has enjoyed playing table tennis from a young age with many successful wins for Drummully table tennis club on the Cavan/Clones road near Newtownbutler.

In recent years, he joined Belturbet table tennis club and plays on the team in Division One of the Monaghan/Cavan Churches league.

David is a teacher in Monaghan Collegiate school and coaches table tennis there. His students enjoyed recent success at the Ulster schools competition in Lisburn Rackets Club.

Eimear is looking forward to competing in the Ulster Individual Primary School competition on May 4, while David will bring a contingent from Monaghan Collegiate School to play in the Secondary School section.

Eimear played her first competitive game as a six-year-old in 2017, while Ciara was eight, and both have enjoyed perfecting their skills over lockdown in the garage.

Eimear also had recent success at a Ballymena challenger tournament, organised by Norman McBride. She was Division Three overall winner while Ciara played well in Division Two for their age groups.

Ulster also had success for brothers Gervais and Keith Knox, who are originally from Kesh.

Gervais is coach of the U-15s Kadet boys team who took gold on Sunday and Keith is coach of the U-13 mini Kadet boys, who took silver.

Gervais and Keith set up the thriving Ormeau Table Tennis Club in Belfast.

Ulster was the Overall Winner of the 2022 Junior Interprovincial Championships.